Times of Oman - May 14, 2015 by Muscat Media Group

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THURSDAY, May 14, 2015 /25 Rajab 1436 14 AH

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CABLES

His Majesty sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Horacio Cartes of the Republic of Paraguay on the occasion of his coun-

try’s National Day. In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes to President Cartes and the people of Paraguay. -ONA

HM receives thanks from Greece

SAYYID FAHD MEETS SHEIKH SABAH, SHEIKH TAMIM

His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, met with His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, in Washington on Tuesday. — ONA See also >A4

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Hypertension risk during pregnancy

More awareness is needed about hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as early diagnosis and effective management can save lives, say medical experts. The WHO says that hypertensive disorders are an important cause of severe morbidity and long-term disability. >A2

OMAN

ROP arrests expat for swindling company

The Buraimi police arrested an expatriate engineer working in one of the commercial companies for alleged breach of integrity and for swindling more than OMR250,000 from a project sponsored by the company he was working for, according to news released by the Royal Oman Police (ROP). On interrogation the suspect confessed to the crime. >A3

Multi-lingual ﬂiers from Times for amnesty-seekers

example’, says one family living in

Staff Reporter

poverty because

MUSCAT: Urging undocumented and overstaying migrant workers in the Sultanate of Oman to make use of the three-monthlong amnesty scheme, the Times of Oman Readers’ Club has printed 100,000 multilingual ﬂiers which will be distributed with today’s paper. >A6

of their mistake

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: If you are an illegal expat in Oman, read this story, it might change your life; if you know an illegal expat share this story with them, you might help them make a brave decision. For today the Times of Oman again lifts the lid on how badly life can go wrong when residents end up on the wrong side of the law, becoming an undocumented worker and an illegal expat by either absconding or overstaying. As authorities urge all people in this vulnerable position to take advantage of the immigration amnesty, especially as fewer than expected have come forward, Sakthidasan Arumugam shares his family’s tale of misfortune saying: “Leading an undocumented life is a horrible one. It is beyond imagination.

PATHETIC STATE: The undocumented Indian expatriates along with their children in Muscat. Photo– Rejimon K

“We should not have done this. Our decision to get married and have two children being undocumented was a bad one. Now, my family is suffering. I am even afraid of taking them out because they are undocumented. Even when there is medical emergency, I can’t take them to hospital. Nobody should do like what I did.” Sakthidasan, 33, an undocumented Indian migrant worker in Oman has been overstaying and doesn’t want to leave back his

MARKET

Phoenix Power ﬁrm expects good dividend

Phoenix Power Company that floated an initial public offering of OMR56.3 million on May 10, projected an attractive 7.3 per cent dividend yield for the next five years, which is highest among listed power firms in Oman. The initial public offering promises investors an attractive dividend. >B1

43 shot dead in Karachi

A11

T R AV E L P L A N S

‘Now get UAE visa online’ REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Applications for online visa and fee payment have been introduced for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), easing travel plans for Dubai, said an Indian expatriate who purchased an eVisa for the Emirate. “It is quite easy to get a visa now. After I purchased the ticket from Oman Air, I enquired with them about the visa. They advised me to try and get it online, and it was quite easy. Within 12 hours I got the visa,” said Balaji Mohan Sundaram, an Indian expatriate who got the eVisa for his family. Quoting Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, director of the General Directorate of

lopoulos expressed his thanks for His Majesty the Sultan’s congratulations. He expressed his conﬁdence on promoting the ties between the two countries to serve the interests of the Omani and the friendly Greek people. -ONA

Life as an illegal expat is ‘beyond imagination’ ‘Don’t follow our

OMAN

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from President Prokopis Pavlopoulos of Greece in reply to His Majesty’s congratulatory cable on being elected as a new President of Greece. In his cable, President Pav-

Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, the Khaleej Times reported that expatriates living in Oman as well as in other GCC countries on resident visas will no longer have to wait in a queue to pay for the UAE entry permits upon arrival at the airport. To ease paperwork Major General Al Marri has said that the new facility is set to help ease the paperwork usually required for a visa. “It is not a compulsory step as for those visa applicants to obtain entry permits into the UAE. The choice is left to them whether to apply online and jump the queues,” said the official. “With time, the public will get used to the new procedure and come to realise that it is much

easier and more convenient,” said Major General Al Marri. However, it is not clear whether travellers to Dubai by road can make use of the online system. “I do not think that can be done, because in the online application system we have to enter Passenger Name Record (PNR) number provided by the airline. So, I doubt whether a visitor who is planning to travel by road to Dubai can make use of this facility,” added Balaji. Travel agents Meanwhile, travel agents in Muscat said that though they have not got any official communication from the UAE government, they have learnt from their Dubai ofﬁces that the online visa system has begun operating.

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bedridden wife Bebi Rani. Worse, his wife is also living in Oman illegally, and so are their two boys, aged four and two, of which one is physically challenged. Sakthidasan came to Oman from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu ﬁve years ago after

paying 100,000 Indian rupees (approximately OMR600) to an agent to get a job here. “The salary was around OMR45. That also I was not getting regularly. The sponsor used to give me a month’s salary once in four or ﬁve months. This disturbed me and therefore, I left that place and found a new place to work as a domestic worker. It is there that I met Bebi Rani and fell in love with her,” Sakthidasan said. Bebi Rani, 28, also came to

Oman from Andhra Pradesh and was working as a housemaid here. “I fell in love with Sakthidasan. We decided to live together. After one year, I delivered our ﬁrst boy child. The Almighty gave us a physically-challenged boy who cannot walk. When we realised the truth, it was too late. And moreover, due to lack of money, we were not able to provide him good treatment. And now, he is four-year-old. He doesn’t talk or walk,” Bebi Rani said. >A6

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

OMAN Early diagnosis in hypertensive pregnancy must Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are an important cause of severe morbidity, long-term disability and death among

RAISING AWARENESS: Dr Tamima Al Dughaishi, senior consult-

both mothers

ant of foetal medicine at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, third left, discussed hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. – AR Rajakumar

and their babies

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: More awareness is needed about hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as early diagnosis and effective management can save lives, say medical experts. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that hypertensive disorders are an important cause of severe morbidity, longterm disability and death among both mothers and their babies. Dr Tamima Al Dughaishi, senior consultant of foetal medicine at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, says that hypertensive disorders and their complications are responsible for 15 to 20 per cent of deaths in women during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of delivery in the Middle East. Al Dughaishi was speaking at a media brieﬁng entitled MeDia Talks on Wednesday, which was organised by Roche Diagnostics Middle East to shed light on pre-

eclampsia and eclampsia. Roche, which is headquartered in Switzerland, is the world’s largest biotech company and its novel tests, which are available in Oman, provide highly accurate diagnoses of pre-eclampsia during the early stages of pregnancy. According to the WHO, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia stand out among the hypertensive disorders that complicate pregnancy, and the majority of deaths due to these disorders are avoidable through the provision of timely and effective care to the patients. Eclampsia is the ﬁnal and most severe phase of pre-eclampsia which occurs when pre-eclampsia is left untreated and may result in seizures and other complications, say medical experts. Cases in Oman Al Dughaishi said that the university hospital, which also serves as a referral centre, has witnessed a lot of cases of pre-eclampsia, which account for around 5 to 7 per cent of pregnancies in the hospital per year. Pre-eclampsia

occurs in 3 to 5 per cent of pregnancies in the region. Risk factors Al Dughaishi noted that the causes of the disorder are not well understood but maternal age of 40 years or older, certain ethnicities, chronic hypertension, renal disease, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy are associated with a higher risk of preeclampsia. However, women of any age may experience this condition, she said. Diagnosis Pre-eclampsia is typically diagnosed on the basis of elevated blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine, the expert said, adding that the individual’s past medical history can contribute to the diagnosis. Women at high risk of pre-eclampsia are also advised to take 75 mg of aspirin daily, she added. According to her, a normal diet without signiﬁcant salt restriction is generally advised for the management of the disorder.

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5

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OMAN

Expatriate arrested on swindling charge An expatriate engineer was arrested for allegedly swindling more than OMR250,000 from a project sponsored by the company he was working for

Times News Service MUSCAT: An expatriate engineer working in one of the commercial companies in the wilayat was arrested by Buraimi police for alleged breach of integrity and for swindling more than OMR250,000 from a project sponsored by the company he was working for, according to news

released by the Royal Oman Police (ROP). The ROP statement said that on being interrogated the suspect confessed to the crime. The alleged suspect has been referred to the public prosecution for further investigations. 695 deported in April The ROP, in collaboration with

the military and security forces, arrested 516 people of different nationalities from various parts of the Sultanate for entering the country illegally, and deported as many as 695 people after taking appropriate legal action. ROP advised citizens and residents to refrain from employing runaway labourers or assisting their entry into the Sultanate. Khat smuggling bid foiled Large quantities of Khat were seized by the Directorate General for Combating Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of Dhofar police in Salalah and two people were arrested in this connection. In a statement, the ROP said that the narcotics control unit was assisted by the coast guard to detain the boat from which the al-

leged suspects disembarked with more than 1,000 bags of Khat. Three arrested in Sur Meanwhile, the Directorate General for Combating Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of North Asharqiyah police arrested three Asians for attempting to smuggle in heroin. According to a statement issued by the ROP, the trio entered the Sultanate illegally from the sea and were caught red-handed in Sur with 1,713 capsules of heroin weighing at least 12 kilogrammes. The ROP has also urged citizens and residents to continue their co-operation with the police in preventing such illegal activities by calling the emergency number 9999 or the free line 1444, heading to the nearest police station.

P H I L A D E L P H I A’ S C R E AT I V I T Y F O R A C AU S E C A M PA I G N

Omani resident bags community ideas title Times News Service DUBAI: Celebrations have begun for Philadelphia’s Creativity for a Cause Campaign from Mondelēz International (formerly Kraft Foods), after an exhilarating closing which announced GCC’s most creative community idea of creating ‘Baskets of Kindness’ by Oman-based Muna Al Zayed. Bagging the title for 2015, Al Zayed walked away with AED54,980 to commence her journey on making the extraordinary contribution to the community. Second in line, Yasmin El Rouby who wishes to launch a campaign to recycle sunglasses and eye glasses thus aiming to restore vision to thousands of people in the region, walked away as the campaign’s ﬁrst runner-up to

pursue her cause in favour of the community, while Ahlaam Ali, the third ﬁnalist bagged the second runner up position. Announced at a Gala ceremony held yesterday at Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai, the event witnessed the presence of the campaign’s eminent mentors, ﬁnalists, media, past winners and participants, special guests and senior representation from Mondelēz International. The collaborative decision of the public and the mentors determined the creative idea and the public support helped determine the prize money to establish her cause. The Philadelphia Creativity for a Cause campaign engages women to share unique community related ideas on www.phillyarabia. com or #phillycreate.

Philadelphia will support the most creative idea with prize money up to AED100,000, while the second highest voted idea would be supported with prize money equivalent to the number of votes garnered @AED5 per vote. Thrilled The campaign commenced in the ﬁrst quarter with submissions of ideas that was followed by the three ﬁnalists being guided by the campaign’s mentors at an extensive workshop to further develop their ideas. Thrilled on winning, Muna Zayed exclaimed, “This opportunity has taken me to the next level in my life. It is a life changing experience. The campaign has handed over a ready platform with resources to ride on and all I

have to do now is run with it. The idea of ‘Baskets of Kindness’ has been a dream harboured by me for long and Philadelphia Creativity for a Cause Campaign has made it happen. “I would like to thank everybody involved in the decision making and most of all to the public for their ongoing support. “My steps towards my goal will commence immediately and I am eagerly looking forward to sharing my regular updates with the community. I hope I can make a difference to many lives in the coming year.” Congratulating the 2015 winner, Vishal Tikku, president, cheese, grocery and beverages, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa for Mondelēz International said, “Heartiest congratulations to our winners.”

DIPLOMACY

Defence Secretary General receives British official MUSCAT: Mohamed bin Nasser al-Rasbi, Secretary General of Ministry of Defence, received in his office at Mu’askar Al Murtafa’ on Wednesday Maj. Gen Thomas Beckett, Senior Advisor for Middle East at the Ministry of Defence in the UK and his accompanying delegation, now visiting Oman.

Cordial conversations were exchanged at the meeting and matters of common concern were discussed. Good bilateral relations between the two friendly countries were also reviewed. The meeting was attended by British ambassador to Oman and Military Attaché of the British Embassy. -ONA

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

OMAN

Sayyid Fahd in Washington for Camp David Summit meeting His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, head of the Sultanate’s delegation to the Camp David Summit, met His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait

WASHINGTON: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, head of the Sultanate’s delegation to the Camp David Summit, met separately at his place of residence in Washington on Tuesday evening

with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, on the sidelines of the summit’s meetings. During the meeting, HH Sayyid Fahd conveyed the greetings and

best wishes of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to Sheikh Tamim and the brotherly Qatari people further progress and prosperity. The meeting reviewed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and the means of enhancing them in various ﬁelds. The meeting also discussed regional and international issues of common concern. Convey greetings At the end of the meeting, Sheikh Tamim asked HH Sayyid Fahd to convey his sincere fraternal greetings along with his best wishes of good health, wellbeing and a long life to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the Omani people further progress and prosperity under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty. The meeting was attended by members of the official delegation accompanying HH Sayyid Fahd and members of the official

delegation accompanying the Emir of Qatar. Sayyid Fahd also met at his place of residence in Washington yesterday evening with His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabir Al Sabah, Emir of the sisterly State of Kuwait, on the sidelines of the summit’s meetings. Sayyid Fahd conveyed greetings and best wishes of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to Sheikh Sabah and the brotherly Kuwaiti people further progress and prosperity. The meeting reviewed the good bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and means of enhancing them. It also discussed regional and international issues of common concern. At the end of the meeting, Sheikh Sabah asked Sayyid Fahd to convey his sincere fraternal greetings along with his best wishes of good health, wellbeing and a long life to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos

bin Said and the Omani people further progress and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Majesty. The meeting was attended by members of the official delegation accompanying HH Sayyid Fahd and members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir of Kuwait. Sayyid Fahd visits SQCC His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers today paid a visit to the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre (SQCC) in the US capital, Washington. Sayyid Fahd and his accompanying delegation were received upon their arrival at the SQCC by Kathleen Ridolfo, SQCC Executive Director. She escorted Sayyid Fahd and the delegation in a tour to various sections of the centre. The SQCC Executive Director and Hunaina bint Sultan Al Mughairiyah, Sultanate’s ambas-

sador to the USA gave a brieﬁng on various handicrafts displayed at the SQCC hall. Sayyid Fahd viewed the SQCC departments and its role in familiarizing the US people with the Omani culture, heritage and history. At the end of the visit, HH Sayyid Fahd signed the VIP visitor’s book at the SQCC. GCC foreign ministers meet The GCC foreign ministers held at Four Seasons Hotel in Washington a consultative meeting prior to the Camp David Summit on Thursday. Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs took part in the meeting in the presence of Dr. Abdul Latif alZayani, GCC Secretary General. The meeting discussed coordination of stances and consultation of the GCC states towards the topics presented at the Camp David Summit, due to be held tomorrow (Thursday). -ONA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN. Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

Seminar on chemical engineering SALALAH: A seminar is being held with the aim of enriching scientific research and enhancing partnership with industrial sector especially those operating in chemical engineering fields. The College of Technology in Salalah will organise on Thursday a seminar under the theme “Current Horizons and Challenges in Chemical Engineering”. The Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman Maritime College, the College of Applied Sciences in Sohar, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Dubai branch, Madora University, Scott Christian College, besides the College of Technology in Salalah will take part at the seminar. The seminar will include a number of working papers by specialists and academics in the field of chemical engineering. -ONA

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5

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OMAN

I N D I A N N AV Y S H I P

INS Tarangini to berth at Salalah port from May 14 to 17 Times News Service MUSCAT: INS Tarangini, the ﬁrst sail training ship of the Indian Navy, is scheduled to berth at the Salalah port from May 14 to 17. INS Tarangini’s port of call at Salalah is the ﬁrst stop on an eightmonth long voyage through the Gulf, Mediterranean and Europe to participate in prestigious tall ship races and other events organised under the aegis of Sail Training International. During this eight-month-long ‘Lokayan 15’, the ship will travel approximately 17,000 miles under sails and visit 17 ports in 14 countries as a goodwill ambassador of India. GCC

Tenders for several projects awarded MUSCAT: Tenders worth OMR16,256,274 were awarded by the Tender Board on Wednesday as it held its 10th meeting for 2015 under the chair of Dr. Rasheed bin Al Saﬁ Al Huraibi, Chairman of the Tender Board, for the following projects: Renewing the security guard services contract for all sites of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water for 2015 at OMR13,344,000. Renewing the security guard services for all sites of the Public Authority for Radio and Television for 2015 at OMR288,000. Production of a TV drama series called “Baqaya Zaman” for the Public Authority for Radio and Television at OMR272,968. Additional works for leasing a building for the Omani Hajj Mission in Makkah at OMR1,410,801. Additional works for the construction of the National Museum in Hilat Al Naam in Muscat at OMR649,145. Additional works for provision of consultancy services and supervision for the construction of National Museum at OMR291,342. The Tender Board also opened ﬁnancial bids for the project related to linking the new water plant in Quriyat and water transmission pipeline from Wadi Daiqah Dam in the Wilayat of Quriyat. It also approved the technical offers for the construction of Al Mudhaibi - Al Habbi - Khamila road in A’Dakhiliyah Governorate. -ONA H E A LT H

Seminar helps put focus on assistive tech Times News Service MUSCAT: Offering an apt platform for better understanding of the challenges faced by the differently-abled with regard to accessibility features, advanced technology updates and achievements, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), the technical arm of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), Wednesday organised a seminar highlighting the signiﬁcance of technologies for the differently-abled, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Speaking at the seminar, Eng Basim bin Ali Al Nassri, director general of marketing and media at PEIE, stressed the importance of highlighting innovative technologies for the differentlyabled and the role played by these technologies in facilitating tasks in their daily lives. Great impact “These technologies have a great impact on the performance and productivity of this segment of the society, and thus advance their skills and capabilities,” noted Al Nassri. He added that the seminar comes as part of the Digital Nation series of seminars, which aim at providing an ultimate platform for creative professionals, business leaders, techies and students to discuss the emergence, challenges, opportunities and implications of a digital lifestyle.

INS Tarangini was built in Goa in 1997. The name Tarangini is derived from the Hindi word ‘Tarang’ meaning ‘waves’, thus Tarangini means ‘the one that rides the waves’, and she provides an ideal setting for ﬁrst-hand experience of the natural elements for young officers, instilling in them their ‘sea legs’. The year 2015 is the diamond jubilee of India – Oman diplomatic relations, with the Indian Consulate in Muscat having been set up sixty years ago in 1955, after India gained independence. To mark the diamond jubilee, a series of events and commemorations are being organised by the Embassy of India in Muscat.

The visit of Tarangini is one such event to celebrate the occasion, and J S Mukul, ambassador of India, will also be in Salalah during this period to greet the ship and its crew, said an embassy press release. The sail training ship has 30 under-training officer cadets of the Indian Navy embarked, and it will be their ﬁrst exposure to the sights and sounds of the beautiful port city of Salalah. The ship would be open to a visit by schoolchildren from the Indian School on May 15. The highlight of the visit would be the opportunity for some important Omani and Indian dignitaries, accompanied by the ambassador, to sail out onboard the INS

Tarangini for a few hours off Salalah, to get a feel of life under sail. The Indian community in Salalah will also host a reception in honour of the ship and its crew. Age-old Oman-India ties Although diplomatic ties are 60 years old, bilateral friendship between India and Oman dates back 5,000 years. One of the key facets of this age-old India-Oman relationship is the historic maritime routes between India and its Gulf neighbours. Oman and India share trading links across the sea dating back to the time of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Dhows traditionally set sail for India from Oman

utilising the prevailing south-west winds in the summer from April to October, only to return to the Gulf laden with goods on the back of the north-east winds in the winter from October to March. The visit of Tarangini to Salalah is thus also a reminder of the historic maritime routes between India and its Indian Ocean neighbours, which are being celebrated under the ‘Project Mausam’ initiative recently announced by India. INS Tarangini is the ﬁrst commissioned ship of the Indian Navy that circumnavigated the globe, in the years 2003 and 2004. Over the years, the ship has been deployed over long periods away from the

base port and has also participated in Tall Ship races on three occasions. During these races the ship has brought laurels to the Indian Navy by winning the class races and being bestowed a special award for travelling the farthest to participate. For this, the ship was awarded the Unit Citation by the Chief of Naval Staff in 2004 –2005. The ship is commanded by Commander Gaurav Gautam. The Indian Navy is one of the few navies in the world utilising sail training ships in its training squadron to foster the time honoured virtues of courage, camaraderie and endurance in junior ofﬁcers embarking on a naval career.

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015 It comes with everything we Italians believe in: a passion for music [and] a contribution to arts Paola Amadei, Italian ambassador

OMAN Italians take guests on musical trip to Europe Music Series is an initiative by Arabesque International to provide free music workshops and concerts in Oman UNFORGETTABLE: The Mitja Quartet concert was held with the support of the Italian Embassy in Oman, and Ambassador Paola Amadei, who is a fan of classical music. - Photo: O K Mohammed Ali

SARAH MACDONALD

sarah@timesofoman.com the musicians play. Whether it was the bright and lively String Quartet in D Minor, Op 15 KV 421 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, or Giuseppe Verdi’s more dynamic and emotional String Quartet in E Minor, the four young musicians played with passion and obvious joy. They also played pieces by Haydn, Dvorak, Ravel, Malipiero, Shostakovich and Sollima. The Muscat Chamber Music Series is an initiative by Arabesque International to provide free music workshops and concerts in Oman by a variety of international musicians. Earlier in the week and last week the Mitja Quartet musicians held a number of workshops at different schools around Muscat,

OPEX 2015

including PDO School, the British School Muscat, Madinat Sultan Qaboos School and GUtech, and they held a master class with members of the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra. Since September 2014 the Muscat Chamber Music Series has held three pre-launch concerts to generate support, while Tuesday’s concert was the second official concert of the series, following its official launch in April. The Mitja Quartet concert was held with the support of the Italian Embassy in Oman, and Ambassador Paola Amadei, who is a fan of classical music. She said that she was very happy and proud to be collaborating with the Muscat Chamber Music Series.

“It comes with everything we Italians believe in: a passion for music [and] a contribution to arts,” Amadei said. She also said it was a pleasure to welcome the Italian musicians to Muscat. She described them as “unforgettable musicians” who play with an innovative style and a new concept of music. Speaking to the audience before the concert, Ahmed Abouzahra, GM of Arabesque International, said that the growing number of people who attend the free concerts is proof that there is a demand and desire for more live music in Oman. “Every concert we do we get more people interested in our concert series. Thank you!” he said.

MUSCAT: Rich tributes continued to pour in for Sheikh Khalfan Al Esry, a man whose wisdom and knowledge shaped the lives of many people in Oman. Sheikh Hatim Al Abdissalaam said he was devastated to hear about the death of his mentor. Hatim, who is best known in Oman for his radio shows, knew Sheikh Khalfan for more than 15 years and considers himself very lucky to have been mentored by him. Sheikh Khalfan was often a guest on Hatim’s Ramadan radio programmes. He admired the man not only for his talents as a scholar, engineer, master of languages and counsellor, in addition to media expert and more, but for the role model that he was. “Sheikh Khalfan was a unique personality. I do not think anyone else was like him or would have his qualities. I will proudly say that he had a big role in moulding my personality and changing me into who I am today. I always tried to follow in his footsteps and I loved listening to him talk,” reﬂected Hatim. Hatim saw the scholar just a few days before his death. He recalls that they had a long conversation and that Sheikh Khalfan shared his plans for the future, after his recovery. “He had big ideas and he wanted me to be with him in this journey,” said Hatim.

Late Sheikh Khalfan Al Esry.

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When Hatim heard that Sheikh Khalfan had died, he said he could not hold back his tears and sobbed throughout the funeral, which he said, was the biggest he had ever attended. Though his mentor has passed on, Hatim said he will always keep the lessons on life and wisdom that Sheikh Khalfan shared with him over the years. “Words can never describe this man or what he did for all of us, but I will only say that he was a devoted Muslim and a loving teacher, and for sure he loved the soil of this land with every breath in his body,” concluded Hatim.

OMAN, HARVEST BEYOND LANDSCAPES

Omani products exhibition in Saudi MUSCAT: Omani products and industries will be in focus at an exhibition in Saudi Arabia. Omani Products Exhibition (OPEX 2015) is set to begin in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Monday under the auspices of Dr. Tawﬁq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, KSA Minister of Commerce and Industry in the presence of Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al-Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Scholar Khalfan was a role model: Sheikh Hatim Times News Service

The Muscat Chamber

MUSCAT: Two violinists, a cellist and a violist took listeners on a musical journey through Europe on Tuesday evening at a Muscat Chamber Music Series concert at Bait Al Zubair. The Mitja Quartet from Southern Italy includes Giorgiana Strazzullo and Sergio Martinoli on violins, Carmine Caniani on viola and Alessandro Mazzacane on cello. They played a selection of music from eight different composers representing Austria, Italian, the Czech Republic, France and Russia. The samples of music, mainly one or two movements from larger compositions, highlighted the grace and elegance with which

MAN OF QUALITIES

Ayman bin Abdullah Al Hasani, Chairman of OPEX Organising Committee and Deputy Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), said the exhibition aims at presenting a platform to introduce high quality Omani products and vital Omani industries to the companies and consumers in Jeddah. OPEX 2015 would be the biggest in terms of participation. -ONA

Oman’s photography exhibition in Milan draws curious French visitors Times News Service MUSCAT: A photography exhibition with the theme ‘Oman, Harvest beyond Landscapes’, has opened at the Società per le Belle Arti ed Esposizione Permanente (the Society for Fine Arts and Permanent Exhibition) in Milan which dedicates the work of 19 photographers to the Sultanate of Oman. The exhibition features 50 pieces of travel journalism photography taken by the 19 international photographers. The exhibition is organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Oman, as part of Expo 2015, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Oman (MOCI) and Oman Air. It has attracted a great deal of interest and has seen a large number of visitors. Welcome speeches were given by two representatives of the Sultanate, Rania Khodr, director of the Tourism Office of Oman in France, and Massimo Tocchetti, president of AIGO and the Italian

TOURISM DESTINATION: The exhibition features 50 pieces of

travel journalism photography taken by 19 international photographers. – Supplied picture

representative of the Tourism Ofﬁce of Oman, as well as Anna Premoli, the exhibition’s curator. Khalid Al Zuhaimi, director of the Oman Expo Pavilion, Juma Mohammed, deputy director of the Oman Expo Pavilion and Gianluca Marcangelo, public

relations director of the Oman Pavilion, major ﬁgures from the tourism industry and numerous journalists were also in attendance. Kodhr said in the opening speech of the exhibition, “The special bond between traditions

and respect for the environment is the best way to present a tourist destination that has made sustainability and nature protection one of its strong points.” Massimo Tocchetti said, “We chose the city of Milan to show the general public a land that treats its natural resources as its most precious resource, is something to be preserved, promoted and enhanced.” Anna Premoli underlined the artistic value of the exhibition saying, “The idea behind this exhibition was to provide a highly varied narrative with close ties to the country, and particularly its natural heritage. “The aim was to recreate a spontaneous environment, including through the exhibition’s striking setting, which recalls Oman and describes it to visitors, offering them the excitement of an authentic Omani experience, even if only for a few seconds,” she added. This collective exhibition is the ﬁrst of a series of events organised by the Sultanate for Expo 2015.

UNDOCUMENTED WORKER

< FROM

A telling tale of struggle

The couple’s bad luck didn’t stop there. After delivering the second boy, Bebi also developed some difﬁculties in walking. “For the last two years, she could not walk. She needs medicines worth OMR8 daily. By this time, we became undocumented, too. So, life became horrible. I have to take care of children and Bebi,” Sakthidasan said. Bebi’s passport is not available. Back in India also, her family doesn’t have a photocopy. The only paper to prove that she is an Indian is her name mentioned in a photocopy of a ration card (card provided by the Indian government for the public to buy food, cereals and kerosene at subsidised rates from government shops). “How long we can push on like this? How long our children can be left to struggle in this dilapidated single room? We want to go home. Go home together. I can’t betray her. If we go, we will go together only.” During the last amnesty, Sakthidasan had approached the Indian embassy but he and his wife were turned back as she didn’t possess papers required

< FROM

Spreading the message

The aim of this move is to spread the message of amnesty announcement all over Oman. It is an opportunity for undocumented and overstaying migrant workers to go back to their country without paying ﬁne and facing any legal action,” Even though the main four Asian countries’ embassies estimated that all together there will be around 50,000 migrant workers from their

to avail of the amnesty offer. Last month, the Oman government had announced amnesty for overstaying, undocumented and absconding migrant workers to ﬂy back to their home countries without paying ﬁnes or facing any legal actions. The amnesty programme began on May 3 and will run till July

countries in Oman who can make use of this amnesty programme, the data from ministry of manpower shows that only 3,000 workers have registered themselves. The notice is printed in English, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. The notice also has the phone numbers of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi embassies.

31. In 2010 amnesty, it is reported that around 60,000 undocumented workers were able to leave the country. This time, Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani embassies estimate that there will be around 50,000 migrant workers from their countries in Oman who can make use of this amnesty programme.

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5 IS group militants had captured areas of Al Sukhnah town and its surroundings in Homs province in ﬁghting since Tuesday night The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

REGION

Yemen truce holds on as air strikes continue Violence dwindles,

King Salman doubles aid pledge to $540m

scattered incidents reported as six weeks of ﬁghting leaves Aden battered

CAIRO/ADEN: A five-day truce in Yemen appeared to be broadly holding on Wednesday, despite reports of air strikes overnight by Saudi-led forces and continued military activity by the country’s dominant Houthi group. Witnesses in the southwestern city of Abyan said warplanes had hit positions there after the Houthi seized the area following the start late on Tuesday of the ceasefire, which is intended to ward off a humanitarian catastrophe. Residents of the southern provinces of Shabwa and Lahj, which have witnessed heavy ground clashes between local militiamen and the Houthis, also reported air strikes overnight. At least 35 civilians were killed by the Saudi-led attacks on the cities of Abs and Zabeed in western Yemen on Tuesday, residents said, before the beginning of the ceasefire. Seeking to restore exiled President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi, an alliance of Gulf Arab nations has since March 26 been bombing Houthi militia and allied army units that control much of Yemen. In the bulwark of opposition to the Houthis in the southern city of Aden, the scale of over six weeks of clashes emerged. Over 600 people had been killed and 3,000 had been wounded, while 22,000 residents had been displaced since the Houthis first pushed into the city on March 25, local watchdog

RIYADH: Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia doubled Yemen’s aid commitment to $540 million on Wednesday, the ﬁrst day of a humanitarian pause in a bombing campaign it has led against neighbouring rebels. “We announce that we are setting aside one billion riyals ($266 million) for aid and humanitarian operations... in addition to more than one billion riyals ($274 million) we had already pledged,” the official Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying. On April 18, the kingdom announced it would fund the entire $274 million sought by the United Nations in an appeal for emergency assistance to help victims of the war in Yemen. The UN said the money would “meet the life-

group, the Aden Centre for Monitoring, said on Wednesday. Residents expressed doubts that the break in fighting, which paused round-the-clock gunfire that had defined Aden life in recent weeks, would last. “Aden needs a humanitarian truce so badly, given the lack of food, fuel and everything else. But we question the intentions of the Houthis and believe they will take advantage of the truce to take more areas,” resident Hassan Al Jamal said. Saudi state television quoted an official source at the Defence Ministry as saying projectiles had fallen on the Najran and Jizan areas on Wednesday morning

RELIEF: Yemenis purchase goods in the Sheikh Othman

area, in port city of Aden, on Wednesday. – AFP

saving and protection needs of 7.5 million people affected” by a deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen. “Projects and partners have been identiﬁed for implementation of the

and that some sniper ﬁre by the Houthis had been detected. There were no casualties. Restraint “The position adopted by the armed forces was to exercise restraint, abiding by the humanitarian truce approved by the coalition forces,” the television quoted the official as saying. There was no immediate conﬁrmation of the accusations by Saudi media. The truce is meant to allow in aid and medicine to Yemen, where the United Nations believes 828 civilians, including 182 children, have been killed since March 26. There was no word of any new aid arriving by Wednesday afternoon.

HOMS

48 dead as IS clashes with Syrian army BEIRUT: The IS militant group has seized large parts of a strategically located town in central Syria’s Homs province in clashes that killed 48 soldiers and militants, a monitor said on Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS militants had captured areas of Al Sukhnah town and its surroundings in Homs province in ﬁghting since Tuesday night.

The town lies on the highway that leads from eastern Deir Ezzor province, an IS stronghold, to the ancient town of Palmyra. Palmyra is controlled by the regime and home to spectacular Greco-Roman ruins that are listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. “The IS managed to advance in Al Sukhnah and take control of large parts of the town and the

surrounding areas,” the Britainbased Observatory said, adding that clashes were continuing on Wednesday. The group said at least 28 regime forces — soldiers and progovernment militants — and 20 IS ﬁghters had been killed in the battles. More than 100 ﬁghters from the two sides were wounded, the monitor said. — AFP

grant but money has not been disbursed yet, so it is still a pledge,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, said on Tuesday. — AFP

The scattered reports of incidents would suggest violence at a far lower level than before the truce formally began. The Houthi TV channel Al Masira said Saudi ground forces shelled their northern stronghold province of Saada and called the bombings a violation of the ceaseﬁre. The Saudi state news agency SPA said Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, at a royal court ceremony attended by President Hadi and Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah, authorised the laying of the foundation stone for a humanitarian relief centre. — Reuters

VIOLENCE

Seven killed in Sinai Peninsula attacks CAIRO: Bomb attacks killed four Egyptian soldiers and three civilians on Wednesday in the Sinai Peninsula, where security forces are ﬁghting an insurgency, police and medics said. Militants regularly target security forces in the region in retaliation for a bloody crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. Wednesday’s bombings occurred in and around the town of Rafah in North Sinai, where the military has built a buffer zone to prevent ﬁghters from crossing into Egypt from the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Two officers and two soldiers

were killed in a bomb blast during a search operation in Rafah, security officials said. In a separate attack, three passers-by were killed when a roadside bomb went off south of Rafah, police and medics said. The area is a bastion of the militant group Sinai Province, formerly known as Ansar Beit Al Maqdis. The organisation has pledged allegiance to the IS militant group, which has captured swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria. Officials say hundreds of Egyptian policemen and soldiers have been killed in militant attacks, including in Cairo, since the army overthrew Morsi in 2013. — AFP

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

INDIA HIT-AND-RUN CASE

SRINAGAR-LEH HIGHWAY REOPENED

Private vehicles pass through snowbound Zojila Pass, situated at a height of 11,516 feet, on their way to frontier region of Ladakh on Wednesday. The Srinagar-Leh highway, the only road linking Indian-administered-Kashmir with Ladakh, was reopened for traffic after remaining closed for more than ﬁve months. - PTI

PIL in top court for cancellation of Salman’s bail NEW DELHI: A PIL has been ﬁled in the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court’s order to grant bail to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case. The plea, besides seeking a stay on the High Court’s order on Khan’s appeal, has also sought a direction to the superstar “to surrender before the jail authorities in accordance with the rules.” The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) ﬁled by Yashwant Singh, a journalist, has alleged that the actor has been given preferential treatment and it “violates” legal principles. Referring to an earlier Supreme Court decision, it said that the sessions court “passed the order of conviction and the order of sentencing on the same day, which is in violation of judgement of the Supreme Court of India...”.The Bombay High Court

CIVIL SERVICES PRELIMINARY

Aptitude test to continue in civil services prelims NEW DELHI: Ignoring a demand by sections of aspirants, the Centre on Wednesday decided to continue with the controversial aptitude test in the civil services preliminary examination and also set 33 per cent minimum qualifying marks. At the same time, it said an expert committee would be constituted to take a holistic view of the aptitude test. Till such time the government takes a decision on the recommendation of the committee, the general studies Paper-II (Civil Services Aptitude Test or CSAT) in the civil services preliminary examination will remain a qualifying paper with a minimum qualifying marks ﬁxed at 33 per cent, a statement issued on Wednesday by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said. The English language comprehension skill portion from general studies Paper-II of civil services preliminary examination will continue to remain excluded, it said. The expert committee would be constituted to comprehensively examine various issues raised from time to time namely,

eligibility, syllabus, scheme and pattern of civil services examination, the DoPT said. “This is a very signiﬁcant and path-breaking decision and is expected to satisfy the long-pending grievance of large sections of students and aspirants,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh said. After Wednesday’s decision, the civil services examination, 2015 will be held as per the 2014 pattern, i.e. with questions on aptitude to be part of second paper and marks of English section not to be included for gradation. However, candidates need to secure minimum 33 per cent qualifying marks in it. Earlier, there were no such minimum qualifying marks requirement. A controversy had erupted in July last over the pattern of civil services examination conducted by the Union Public Services Commission(UPSC) as students demanding change in CSAT or Paper II had taken to the streets in protest. Meanwhile, candidates who had appeared in the civil services examination in 2011 will get another chance this year. -PTI

Salman Khan

had, on May 8, suspended the 5-year sentence of Khan in the hit-and-run case and granted him bail pending his appeal against conviction. “He has been on bail for a long time and his liberty was not curtailed. Normally, in such cases, the appeal is admitted and an accused is granted bail,” Justice Abhay Thipsay had said. - PTI

India, China to sign 20 pacts during PM’s visit Economic Corridor, PakistanChina Economic Corridor and 21st century Maritime Silk Road (MSR). India is taking part in BCIM initiative but is silent on MSR over security concerns in the Indian Ocean.

Both sides are trying to look for synergies in their respective agendas, India’s Ambassador to China, Ashok K. Kantha said ENGROSSED: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

BEIJING/NEW DELHI: India and China are likely to sign over 20 business agreements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit, the Indian envoy said on Wednesday, emphasising that both sides are trying to look for synergies in their respective agendas. “India and China agreed on a close developmental partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India and Modi’s visit will delineate on how to take forward the bilateral economic engagement,” India’s Ambassador to China, Ashok K Kantha said. “We expect more than 20 busi-

ness agreements to be signed in Shanghai during the visit,” the Indian envoy told state-run CCTV on the eve of Modi’s trip during which the Prime Minister would visit Xi’an, Beijing and Shanghai. The Indian envoy, however, did not elaborate on the business agreements likely to be signed. Several areas Several other areas ranging from cooperation between provinces, cities, skill development, disaster management, smart cities and outer space will see concrete progress which will take forward the rela-

tions in a “fairly comprehensive manner”, Kantha said. On India’s participation in China’s mega Silk Road projects for which Xi has set up $40 billion fund, he said, “Both India and China are attaching great importance to connectivity. We both have respective connectivity agendas. Our approach is to look for synergies in our respective agendas.” China has proposed a maze of Silk Road projects which included the revival of ancient Silk Road connecting China to Europe through Central Asia, BangladeshChina-India-Myanmar (BCIM)

Security concerns China is keen that India backs its initiatives to avoid friction and offered to link its projects with that of India to address New Delhi’s security concerns. The issue was expected to ﬁgure in Xi’s talks with Modi in X’ian on Thursday as well as his meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on May 15. Kantha said the two countries are working in areas like Asia Investment Infrastructure Bank (AIIB) and BCIM. “We look for synergies and look for shared interests and look for areas of partnership and collaboration which will help both of us,” Kantha said. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China from Thursday, government on Wednesday cleared a number of pacts to be inked with that country,including expansion of cooperation in tourism sector. - PTI

NAT U R A L C A L A M I T Y

Quake toll rises to 17 in Bihar PATNA/NEW DELHI: The toll in the two high-intensity earthquakes and 27 aftershocks that rattled Bihar has risen to 17 while 77 people have been injured. “Till now, 17 deaths have been conﬁrmed due to the earthquake, while 77 persons have been hospitalised with injuries. More information is still coming to us,” Bihar Disaster Management Department (DMD) Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Vipin Kumar Rai said on Wednesday. Patna and East Champaran are the worst affected districts with three deaths each. Two persons each died in Madhepura, Purnia and Darbhanga districts, while one each lost their lives in Sitamarhi, Vaishali, Siwan, Khagaria, Sheikhpura districts, the official said. The maximum number of seriously injured persons was in East Champaran district, where over 25 persons suffered injuries from incidents of roof and wall collapse and while trying to escape from the buildings, he said. “There have been reports of damage to several buildings. All districts in the state are currently assessing the damage to buildings and infrastructure due to the quake. We will come up with a detailed report soon,” Rai added. Several thousand people across the state spent the night in the open amid fear that more shocks will hit the region. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Assistant Meteorologist B. P. Mandal stationed here

DEVASTATION: A view of devastation at Barpak in Motihari following Tuesday’s earthquake. - PTI

said that Bihar has till now experienced 29 different temblors since Tuesday afternoon. “Of the 29 quakes, the highest was of 7.3 magnitude, followed by those of 6.3 and 5.1 magnitude. The rest were of intensities lower than these three,” Mandal said. Schools closed Meanwhile, all government and private schools in the state have been closed for summer vacation from Wednesday following the directives of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who ordered the closure as a precautionary measure. The DMD has rushed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams to the affected districts to carry out rescue

and relief operations. Altogether, 58 persons had died in Bihar in the 7.9 intensity Nepal earthquake, which had hit the state on April 25. With Nepal being hit by fresh earthquake, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to his counterpart Sushil Koirala and assured him of all possible cooperation from India. The prime minister has spoken to prime minister of Nepal on the situation arising due to Tuesday’s tremors, a PMO statement said. “PM Sushil Koirala and I had a telephonic conversation. We reviewed the situation arising due to Tuesday’s tremors...I assured PM Koirala of all possible co-operation from our side in the wake of the earthquake,” Modi tweeted. -PTI

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INDIA

Cabinet’s nod to more strict law on benami transactions

NEW APPOINTMENT

Achal Jyoti takes over as new EC

KEY FACTS The bill provides

The property is held by a person on behalf of another person who has paid for it

for the attachment and conﬁscation of benami properties

The property has been bought in a ﬁctitious name

and also a ﬁne with imprisonment. This

The the owner of the property is not aware of or denies knowledge of such ownership.

is one more initiative to ﬁght the menace of black money in the country UPBEAT: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Finance Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi after Cabinet meeting at Parliament House in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: In another initiative to fight the menace of black money in the country, the union cabinet on Wednesday approved the introduction of a bill to amend the legislation that prohibits benami transactions, thereby seeking to make the original law more stringent. “The bill provides for the attachment and confiscation of benami properties and also a fine with imprisonment. This is one more initiative to fight the menace of black money in the country,” a communique said after a meeting of the cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the budget speech delivered on February 28, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had outlined a number of steps the government intended to take to curb the menace of black money generated in the country — both in terms of what is retained within the country and what is stashed away abroad. “As regards curbing the domestic black money, a new and more comprehensive benami transactions prohibition bill will be introduced in the current session of the parliament,” Jaitley had said. Provide for prosecution “This law will enable confiscation of benami property and provide for prosecution, thus blocking a major avenue for the generation and holding of black money in the

House approves Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets Bill NEW DELHI: Parliament on Wednesday approved the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets Bill providing for heavy penalties for stashing black money away in foreign accounts with the Rajya Sabha passing the measure, two days after the Lok Sabha had done so. Moving what is called the Black Money Bill for acceptance by the upper house, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said this law would for the ﬁrst time levy tax in India on assets kept abroad.

form of benami property, especially in real estate.” The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill, 2011 had been introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Finance on August 18, 2011. It was then referred to the standing committee that gave its report on June 12, 2012. But the bill, that would have replaced the 1988 act, lapsed. “The ﬁght against black money

SURVEY

Rising school fees forcing parents to opt for one child NEW DELHI: With private school’s increasing their fees by 150 per cent in the last decade and standards of government schools falling, a rising number of parents in metro cities are opting for single child, an Assocham survey said on Wednesday. According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), nine out of 10 parents in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai among others were ﬁnding it difficult to meet their child’s school expenses. “School expenses of a single child including tuition fees have risen from Rs55,000 in 2005 to Rs125,000 per annum in 2015, the random survey of around 1,600 working parents conducted between April and May, 2015 revealed. The fact that resources and earnings of parents have not kept pace with the increasing ex-

penses on education and health has added to their woes.” As per the survey, over 70 percent of the parents spend 30 to 40 per cent of their pay on their child’s education. While the annual fee for a regular school is between Rs65,000 to Rs125,000 per child, even the pre-schools — for those aged three to ﬁve — ask for a fee in between Rs35,000 to Rs75,000 for a a term. “These expenses include uniforms, books, stationery, transport, sports activities, school trips, contributions to upgrade schools, school aids etc. The total expenses for learning would be many times higher than school fees”, said D.S. Rawat, the secretary general, Assocham. “School costs have risen at more than double the rate of inﬂation and come amid warnings to parents to plan early for their child’s education,” he added. - IANS

REVISITING RULES

Foreign journalists’ access to prisons will be curtailed NEW DELHI: Access of foreign journalists and ﬁlmmakers to Indian prisons will soon be curtailed as the government has decided to revisit the rules in this regard. Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, said in Rajya Sabha that an advisory was issued on December 6, 2012, by the government for regulating access of foreign journal-

With regards to penalties for benami transactions, the bill proposed a maximum punishment of two years imprisonment

ists and other agencies to prisons in the country. A documentary, ‘India’s Daughter’, produced by a British ﬁlmmaker had created a huge controversy a few months back as it contained an interview -- allowed under the existing guidelines -- of a death-row convict in the December 16, 2012,gangrape case in Delhi, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail here. - PTI

“The bill (introduced in March) has no connection with domestic black money,” Jaitley said replying to the debate on the bill. “For the ﬁrst time, unlawful, undisclosed income abroad has been taxed under this law at a tax rate of 30 percent with an additional 30 percent penalty on it,” he added. Explaining that a time-frame will be provided as a “compliance window” for declaring and paying penalty, Jaitley said that failure to meet the com-

needs to be fought on two fronts, domestic and overseas. “With the passage of the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of New Tax) Bill, the government is now consolidating its focus on the domestic front,” said K. V. Karthik of Deloitte India. “Often, assets obtained as proceeds of crime are held in the name of a ‘benamidar’. The proposed bill will make such trans-

pliance timeline will attract an additional penalty of 90 percent for a total tax liability of 120 percent on the quantum of black money abroad. The bill provides for rigorous imprisonment of up to 3-10 years for perpetrators. The ﬁnance minister said India was foremost among a large number of countries that were taking interest in the G-20 initiative on automatic transmission of information with regard to monetary transaction. “If you don’t use the compli-

actions illegal and, to that extent, will be a useful tool in the ﬁght against black money.” The 2011 bill sought to prohibit a person from entering into a benami transaction and called for any such property held in another person’s name to be conﬁscated by the central government, which shall also hold all its rights and title. With regards to penalties for benami transactions, the bill pro-

ance window now time will run out, and by 2017 there will be real-time exchange of information,” Jaitley told the Rajya Sabha. “The world is no longer willing to tolerate tax havens working in secrecy,” he added. Admitting that there was no official estimation of black money within India or stashed away abroad, Jaitley told parliament last week that the government was examining the reports of three institutes on the matter. -IANS

posed a maximum punishment of two years imprisonment. It provided for the aggrieved party to move an Appellate Tribunal for the purpose and again the High Court within 120 days of the tribunal’s order. These provisions, however, were not to apply to any transaction entered into by an individual in the name of his mother, father, spouse, brother or sister. - IANS

NEW RESPONSIBILITY: Achal Kumar Jyoti assumes charge as the Election Commissioner in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: Achal Kumar Jyoti, a former Chief Secretary of west Indian state of Gujarat, on Wednesday took over as the new Election Commissioner (EC), filling one of the two vacancies in the three-member body. “Jyoti took over his charge today at the Election Commission of India here,” a senior official said. Jyoti is a 1975-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who retired as state Gujarat Chief Secretary in January 2013. He served in the top bureaucratic post of the state when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was chief minister. Jyoti (62) has also served as the state Vigilance Commissioner and worked in various capacities in his cadre including as Chairman of the Kandla Port Trust between 1999 and 2004 and Managing Director of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL). Born on January 23, 1953, Jyoti will have a tenure of nearly three years as ECs demit office at the age of 65. An EC or a CEC has a tenure of six years in office or till he or she attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. After V. S. Sampath demitted office in January, H. S. Brahma was elevated as CEC. But after Brahma demitted office, two posts of ECs in the threemember body have remained vacant. Between April 19, when Nasim Zaidi took over as the CEC till today, he was the only member in the poll body. The government is soon expected to appoint one more Election Commissioner to fill up the last vacancy. Jyoti has also worked as Secretary in the Industry, Revenue and Water Supply Departments. - PTI

A10

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

FIND-IT-ALL

PRAYER TIMINGS

W E AT H E R

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.08pm 3.31pm 6.46pm 8.04pm 4.03am

LISTINGS

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334 Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666 Muscat Pharmacy Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635 Atlas Pharmacy Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Al Hashar, Ruwi1 24 Hr Br. Tel. 24537080 Muscat, Al Sarooj. Tel: 24695536 Belqees, Al Khoudh (OIB) Tel. 24535398 Belqees, Ma’abelah. Tel: 24454624 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah. Tel. 23291635

MAINLY clear skies over most of the Sultanate with chance of early morning low level clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea. EXPECTED WIND: Along the coastal areas of Oman Sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate during day becoming light variable at night and southwesterly moderate to fresh along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea coasts while it will be easterly to southeasterly light to moderate over rest of the Sultanate. SEA STATE: Moderate to rough along the Arabian Sea coastal area with a maximum wave height of 2.5 metres and slight along the rest of Oman coasts waith a maximum wave height of 1.25 metres. HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during fog. THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: Mainly clear skies over most of the Sultanate. Chances of late night to early morning low level clouds along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea and Oman Sea. Chances of clouds development over Al-Hajar mountains towards afternoon.

HOSPITALS 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Al Musaﬁr Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128,

OMAN Max 41 Min 27

Max 39 Min 31

Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570

MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099

MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp ﬁsh market), Open from Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm Thursday: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, SatWed 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday - 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm. Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm. National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Saturday to Wednesday: 8am to 1:30pm, Thursday: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: At Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401 Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443

Max 40 Min 30 L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Max 42 Min 28

Max 43 Min 28

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30

Max 43 Min 32

Max 42 Min 23

SPAIN: A woman splashes water on her face to keep cool on a hot

day in Marbella, on Wednesday. Temperatures will rise up to 41 degrees celsius, the Agency of Meteorology (AEMET) has said. - Reuters

Max 31 Min 26 —www.met.gov.om

WORLD

Max 23 Min 13 Max 12 Min 7

Max 43 Min 23 Max 17 Min 9

Max 17 Min 13

Max 17 Min 12

Max 38 Min 26

Max 35 Min 26

Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh Athens Baghdad Barbados Beijing Berlin Boston Brussels Buenos Aires Cairo Chicago Colombo Copenhagen Dublin Frankfurt Harare Hong Kong Istanbul Jerusalem Johannesburg

Max

Min

40 40 44 39 39 42 26 38 30 27 14 21 16 21 29 19 30 14 12 19 24 29 21 23 24

25 23 29 25 25 24 17 20 26 15 8 11 7 16 13 15 26 7 6 8 16 25 14 12 7

Kuala Lumpur Lisbon London Madrid Manila Mexico City Miami Moscow New Delhi New York Oslo Panama Paris Perth Prague Rio de Janeiro Santiago Seoul Singapore Stockholm Sydney Taipei Tokyo Toronto Vienna

Max

Min

32 24 12 33 35 23 30 17 43 23 15 32 18 27 19 24 23 26 32 14 17 31 28 16 22

26 12 7 12 26 14 24 9 23 13 3 26 9 15 8 18 10 13 27 4 13 24 16 9 11

EVENTS

The Future Landscape And Public Realm Oman, organised by the Advanced Conferences & Meetings FZ-LLC will take place from 25th May to the 26th May 2015 in Muscat, Oman Muscat International Jewellery Exhibition, Oman International Exhibition Centre , Muscat, Oman , 26-30 May 2015 Global PR Trends Summit, Grand Hyatt Muscat, Muscat, Oman, 31 May-01 Jun 2015 Food & Hospitality Oman, Oman International Exhibition

Centre, Muscat, Oman, 07-09 Sep 2015 The Home Show - Oman is a 3 day event being held from 27th October to the 29th October 2015 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre in Muscat, Oman. Iran Solo Country Exhibition 2015 - (6 - 10 Jan ’15) International Travel and Hospitality show, 14-16 Dec 2015 Muscat, OIEC.

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

20:50

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

Daily

TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

10:25

Daily

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:50

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily LISTINGS 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA MAD MAX FURY ROAD (Act)(2D) 12+ Cast : Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 4:20 pm MAD MAX FURY ROAD (Act)(3D) 12+ Cast : Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 6:45 pm /09:15 pm /11:45 pm Good Kill (Drama, Thriller) (12+) Cast: Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoë Kravitz. 02:15 pm /09:45 pm /11:30 pm FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (Drama)(12+) Cast : Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts. 04:00 pm BOMBAY VELVET (Crime, Drama)(12+) Cast : Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar. 08:30 pm PITCH PERFECT 2 (Co, Musical)(12+) Cast : Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld. 06:15 pm CAPTAIN MASR (Sports, Comedy)(PG) Cast : Mohamed Emam, Edward, Bayoumi Fouad and Hassan Hosny 02:00 pm /07:50 pm AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON (3D) (Action, Adventure) (PG12) Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo. 02:45 pm /11:45 pm PIKU (Comedy, Drama)(PG) Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan. 05:30 pm

AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON (3D) 06:55 PM PG12 MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2D) 12+ Cast : Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult. 04:40 PM MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (3D) 12+ 09:30 PM & 11:45 PM Gold Class: 04:00 PM & 11:15 PM

PITCH PERFECT (2D) 12+ Cast : Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson. 10:15 & 02:30 PM, Gold Class: 06:15 PM GOOD KILL (2D) 12+ Cast : Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoë Kravitz. 12:30 PM & 09:45 PM. CAPTAIN MASR (2D) PG Cast : Mohamed Emam, Edward, Bayoumi Fouad and Hassan Hosny 10:30 AM & 05:15 PM. FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (2D) 12+ Cast : Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, 03:00 PM. Gold Class: 01:30 PM. BOMBAY VELVET (HINDI) (2D) 12+ Cast : Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar. 7:00 PM. Gold Class: 08:30 PM. PIKU (HINDI) (2D) 12+ Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irfan Khan. 12:30 PM. CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR (2D) 15+ Cast : Isabel Lucas, Dermot Mulroney 11:45 PM

SCREEN 1 Bombay Velvet (Act/Rom/Dra ) – 12+ Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar, Kay Kay Menon 2.30, 5.30, 8.30, 11.30 PM SCREEN 2 Gabbar - Hindi (Action/Drama ) – PG Cast: Akshay Kumar, Shruti K. Haasan, Kareena Kapoor 3.30, 11.45 PM Piku (Drama / Comedy) – PG Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan 6.30 PM Purampokku – Tamil (Drama ) – PG Cast: Arya, Shaam, Vijay Sethupathi 8.45 PM

SCREEN 3 Piku (Drama / Comedy) – PG Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan 3.30, 9.00, 11.45 PM Gabbar - Hindi (Action/Drama ) – PG Cast: Akshay Kumar, Shruti K. Haasan, Kareena Kapoor. 6.30 PM

Avengers: age of ultron -3D (PG12) Cast : Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo. 02:15 , 11:40 pm ACCIDENTAL LOVE - 2D (12+) Comedy, Romance Cast : Jessica Biel, Raymond L. Brown Jr., Jenny Gulley. 03:15 pm Good kill – 2D (12+) Drama | Thriller Cast : Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoë Kravitz. 2:15 , 09:30 , 11:30 pm Careful what you wish for - 2D (15+) Cast : Isabel Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Nick Jonas. 7:00 pm Far from the madding crowd - 2D (12+) Drama Cast : Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, 06:00 pm Mad Max: fury road - 3D (12+) Act 6:50 , 09:15 , 11:45 pm CAPTAIN MASR - 2D (ARB) (PG) Sports, Comedy, Drama Cast : Mohamed Emam, Edward, Bayoumi Fouad and Hassan Hosny 2:00, 5:15 pm PITCH PERFECT 2 - 2D (12+) Com Cast : Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld 04:50 pm BOMBAY VELVET - 2D (12+) Cri, Cast : Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar. 8:50 , 11:15 pm PURAMPOKKU - 2D (T) (PG) Act Cast : Vijay Sethupathi, Arya, 8:20 pm CHIRAKODINJA KINAVUKAL - 2D (M) (PG) Comedy

Cast : Kunchacko Boban, 7:10 pm MAD MAX: FURY ROAD - 2D (12+) 4:20pm PIKU - 2D (PG) Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan. 03:45 pm

Mad Max: Fury Road – 3D (12+) Act, Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron. 2:45, 5:20, 9:30, 11:45 PM Good Kill – 2D (12+) Drama, Thriller Cast: Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoë Kravitz. 2:30, 05:00, 11:45 PM Captain Masr – 2D (PG) Sports, Comedy, Drama Cast: Mohamed Emam,4:20, 07:30 PM Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai2D (TBC)Action, thriller, Drama Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Arya, Karthika Nair, Shaam, Anjali. 06:05 PM Bombay Velvet - 2D (TBC) Crime, Drama. 9:00, 11:30 PM 36 Vayadhinile - 2D (TBC) Drama Cast: Jyothika, Rahman, 03:15 PM Chirakodinja Kinavukal – 2D (TBC) Comedy, Spoof Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Rima Kallingal, Sreenivasan. 9:15 PM Avengers: Age of Ultron - 3D (PG12) Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans 7:00 PM

Good Kill (Drama | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoë Kravitz. 4:45, 11:45 PM Avengers: Age of Ultron (3D) (Act) Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans 2:30 PM Mad Max: Fury Road (3D) (Act ) (12+)

Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron 06:45, 09:15, 11:30 PM Captain Masr (Arabic) (Com) (PG) Cast: Mohamed Emam, Edward, Bayoumi Fouad.5:05 PM Bombay Velvet (Hindi) (Crime) (12+) Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar. 2:00, 09:00 PM Chirakodinja Kinavukal (Mal) (Comedy | Spoof ) (PG) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Rima Kallingal, 06:45 PM

Avengers :AgeOf Ultron (3D)(Sci-Fi) Cast: Robert Dwney Jr,Chris Evan, 10:00AM/6:30PM (PG12) Good Kill (2D)(12+)( Drama/Thriller) 12:45/2:45/11:45PM Careful What You Wish For (2D)(15+) (Thriller) Cast: Isabel Lucas, 12:15/7:15PM Mad Max: Fury Road (2D) (12+) (Act ) 5:00PM Mad Max: Fury Road (3D) (12+) (Act/A ) 4:15/9:15/11:30PM Captain Masr (2D) (PG) (Arabic)( Dr) 12:30/4:30PM Bombay Velvet (2D)(12+) (Cr/Drama) Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar. 9:00/11:45PM Purampokku EngirPodhuvudamai(2D) (PG)(Action/Thriller/Drama) Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Arya, 8:45PM 36 Vayadhinile (2D)(PG)( Drama) Cast: Jyothika, Rahman, 10:00PM Chirakodinja Kinavukal (2D)(PG)( Comedy/Spoof ) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, 6:15PM Piku (2D)(PG)( Comedy, Drama) 2:00PM Pitch Perfect 2(2D)(12+)( Co, Music) Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, 10:15AM/2:15PM

MAD MAX:FURY ROAD : (Action) Cast : Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult Timings : 3.15., 7.30, 9.45 & 11.55 pm. CP NO : 1273 ( 12+ ) PITCH PERFECT 2 : ( Comedy ) Cast: Anna Kedrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld Timings : 1.15 & 5.30 pm CP NO: 1272( 12+ ) BOMBAY VELVET : ( Hindi) (Crime/Drama/History ) Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar Timings : 1.15, 6.00 & 9.00 pm CP NO: 1275 ( 12+ ) GOOD KILL : (Thriller ) Cast: Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Bruce Green Wood Timings: 4.00 & 11.55 pm CP NO: 1274 ( 12+ )

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Oru Vadakkan Selﬁe (Mal) (Rom) Cast: Navin Pauly, Manjima, Aju 3:00 & 6:30 pm at Cinema Main Bombay Velvet (Hindi) (Com/Rom) Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma 6:45 pm at Cinema 3 & 10:00 pm at Cinema Main Chirakodinja Kinavukal (Mal) Cast: Kunchako Boban, Rima Kalingal & Sreenivasan 3:45 & 9:45 pm at Cinema 3 Purampokku (Tamil) (Rom) Cast: Aarya, Vijay Sethupathi 6:30, 9:30 pm Cinema 2 O Kadhal Kanmani (Tamil/Rom) Cast:Dulqar Salman & Nitya Menon 3:30 pm at Cinema 2 Next Change: BHASKAR THE RASCAL (Mal) 36 VAYATHINILLE (Tamil) LION (Telugu)

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5 This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community Prince Karim Aga Khan, Ismailis’ spiritual leader

A1 1

PAKISTAN

IS claims first attack in country as 43 gunned down in Karachi Six terrorists came on three motorcycles, entered the bus and began ﬁring indiscriminately. They used 9mm pistols and all those killed and injured were hit by the 9mm pistols, said the police chief of Sindh province

KARACHI: Pistol-wielding gunmen in Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi on Wednesday stormed a bus carrying members of the Ismaili minority, killing at least 43 in the first attack in the country officially claimed by the IS. The IS claims, posted on Twitter, are set to raise fears over the extremists’ growing influence after they announced in January the creation of a branch in what they called “Khorasan province”, encompassing Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of surrounding countries. Pakistani police also found leaflets claiming IS responsibility at the scene of the attack in the city’s eastern Malir district, while the homegrown Jundullah militant faction which some analysts suspect of having ties to IS made a separate claim of responsibility to AFP. Pakistan has experienced a rising tide of sectarian violence in recent years. “According to the initial information which we have received from hospitals, 43 people have been killed and 13 wounded,” Ghulam Haider Jamali, police chief of Sindh province told reporters at the site in the eastern district of Malir. “Six terrorists came on three motorcycles, they entered the bus and began firing indiscriminately. They used 9mm pistols and all those killed and injured were hit by the 9mm pistols,” he said. Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the world Ismaili community, confirmed the toll in a statement sent by his office in France. “This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community,” the philanthropist and business magnate said. The killings were also condemned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while the provincial government announced a day of mourning Thursday. Dozens of militant groups There have been concerns recently about the IS group tapping support in Pakistan, a country awash with dozens of militant groups. Leaflets calling for support of IS extremists have been seen over recent months in parts of northwest Pakistan and pro-IS slogans have

CARNAGE: Members of the Ismaili community mourn following an attack by gunmen on a bus carrying devotees, outside a hospital in Karachi on Wednesday. — AFP

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inspiration from the group. “And this was the same group who had claimed that they were going to be setting up an IS-style government in the country.”

PROTEST: Pakistani civil society activists carry placards as they shout slogans during a protest against the killing of the Ismaili minority members by gunmen in Islamabad on Wednesday. — AFP

appeared on walls in several cities, but Wednesday’s claims are the ﬁrst to be made by the group on an official level. A spokesman for the Jundullah militant faction, which has

claimed several major attacks in the past including one on a church in Peshawar that killed 81 Christians in 2013, also said his group was responsible for storming the bus.

Little is known about Jundullah, its strength, or its organisational structure, but it is believed to be based out of the country’s tribal areas and parts of Karachi. According to security analyst

Amir Rana, the shadowy group has pledged its allegiance to IS in the past. “Jundullah is the group who at the very initial state had shown its allegiance to IS, and it has a lot of

Human chain At the city’s Memon Hospital Institute, where most of the wounded were rushed, crying relatives formed a human chain outside the main building to keep onlookers away. A sobbing middle-aged man told AFP: “I have come to collect the body of my young son. He was a student preparing for his ﬁrst year exams at college.” The bus itself, which had been driven after the attack to the hospital, was blood-drenched and riddled with bullet holes. One female survivor described the attackers as being cleanshaven and dressed in Western attire, according to a male nurse who spoke to her. The passengers were instructed to bow their heads as one attacker shouted ‘Kill them all’, the nurse quoted the survivor as saying. “One attacker mentioned there were two kids on board and the other told them to let them live,” she told the nurse. Wednesday’s attack was the second deadliest in Pakistan this year after 62 members of a minority sect were killed in a suicide bombing in late January. — AFP

A12

T IME S O F O MAN

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

COMMEN ARY ISO 9001:2008

Certified Company Founder: Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali Chairman and Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Anees bin Essa Al Zedjali Chief Executive Officer: Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali Editorial: 24726666, Fax: 24813153; E-mail: editor@timesofoman.com Advertising: 24726666, Fax: 24812624 Circulation: 24726600, Fax: 24818270; E-mail: circulation@timesofoman.com Printed and published by: Muscat Media Group P.O. Box 770, Ruwi, Postal Code: 112, Sultanate of Oman. Subscription: RO70 per year.

Raging trade wars in the US Congress

he US Congress is considering a trade bill that is pitting President Obama against many members of his own party and some Republicans. Though the two sides have major differences, a compromise is still possible and would be good for the American economy. Obama is pushing for a bill that sets negotiating objectives for trade agreements and binds Congressional lawmakers to casting up-or-down votes on those deals for up to six years. This “fast-track” process would be used for two big pacts being negotiated now: the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 11 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and Mexico, and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union. Obama argues that foreign negotiators will not put their best offer on the table if Congress can easily amend deals after they have been signed. The Senate is expected to take up the bill, which is opposed by some liberal Democrats who believe such trade agreements hurt American workers and by Republicans who do not want to give the president a victory. Getting support in the House might be even harder. The important thing to remember about the Pacific and European trade deals is that they are not primarily about lowering customs duties and quotas. While these deals would reduce those barriers to trade, they would have much of their impact by getting countries to adopt similar regulations in areas like labour standards, environmental protection, how governments treat foreign investors and patent and copyright law. Done right, the Pacific trade deal, which is nearing completion, could help reduce environmental destruction and improve the lives of workers in countries like Brunei, Peru, Chile and Vietnam, which are part of the negotiations. That agreement would also strengthen American alliances in Asia because it includes Malaysia and Singapore. Administration officials say other countries like South Korea and Thailand might want to join the pact in the future. Some provisions that are expected to be part of the deal could raise problems. For example, some public interest groups fear that the deal could force developing countries to adopt strict patent regulations that could make many medicines unaffordable to poor people. There are ways Obama can address these concerns. For example, he and lawmakers should be able to write amendments to the bill that clearly explain that trade pacts that could undercut financial and other regulations would not receive fast-track consideration. This is important because the bill in the Senate would be effective well after Obama has left office. Most Americans support increased trade and business ties with other countries. But half also believe that trade destroys jobs, according to a 2014 Pew Research report. Last week in a speech at the offices of Nike, Obama said the agreements he is negotiating would be good for American workers and the economy. He still needs to convince lawmakers in Congress. - The New York Times News Service

COMMENTARY

The paradoxes of identity politics KEMAL DERVIŞ

Education in doldrums

hile driving through the province of Sindh, be it in the urban centre of Karachi or heading towards the rural areas, it is not an uncommon sight to find children of primary-school age roaming the streets during school hours. Though Article 25-A of the Constitution requires 100 per cent of children aged five to 16 to be in school, the ground reality is starkly different. According to a recent Unicef report, Sindh has approximately 40 per cent of its primaryschool age children out of school. This is a horrendous statistic for a province that is often regarded as Pakistan’s epicentre of industry, a hub for economic development and a cauldron for vast scientific and social progress. However, if the province’s future generations cannot be equipped with educational tools to drive growth and advancement in the future, there will be a pool of wasted talent and development potential for the country. Though private organisations continue to contribute resources to help alleviate the education crisis, the provincial government has greater influence over the state of education. Considering the poor state of facilities in a significant proportion of governmentrun schools, like lack of clean drinking water and toilets, absence of boundary walls in some cases, broken furniture and inadequate number of classrooms, the Sindh government needs to get its act together. In some cases, it has been reported that the 2010-11 floods caused considerable damage to the infrastructure of schools. But half a decade is ample time to rebuild. The education emergency is slipping out of control as unregulated and subpar private schools continue to be established and existing government schools become even more dilapidated and ignored. The Sindh government must act now. Drastic action is the only way to mitigate the education crisis which has already negatively impacted the futures of many children who have attempted to go through its system. - The Express Tribune

Water tanker owners often ﬂeece people during crisis

If people have to pay more for water, they’ll not waste

This refers to the news story, Water rip-off as price hike hits residents (May 13). Technical glitch seems to be the permanent reason they offer to the consumers. In reality, lack of proper operating persons could be the main problem. The PAEW claims that they send tankers but residents end up paying exorbitant amount of money for the tankers as there is virtually no control over the water tanker dealers. Sorry to say that these days the problem of water supply is becoming a routine affair. In the past, advance notices were served to residents specifying the hours of non-availability of water supply but now the norm has been dispensed with. Kiran Sheth Muscat

This refers to the news story, Water rip-off as price hike hits residents (May 13). This is a basic economic principle of supply and demand. Maybe if people pay more for water they will waste it less. The water tank operators do exactly what business people do, except that these tanker drivers probably ﬂeece more than an average businessman does. Ebeth Burger Lyon Muscat

With rising demand prices will naturally skyrocket This refers to the news story, Water rip-off as price hike hits residents (May 13). It is basic economics that when demand soars and the supply remains

Loyalty to a perceived identity can have innocuous and enriching components, such as, say, the promotion of a regional language. The problem with identity politics is that it places the “in” group at odds with the perceived “other”

he United Kingdom’s recent general election provided a clear example of how the question of national identity is reshaping Europe’s political landscape. The Scottish National Party, embodying a left-wing version of identity politics, wiped out Labour in Scotland, allowing the Conservatives to gain an absolute majority in Parliament. The government of Prime Minister David Cameron – who has focused on British identity, rather than the UK’s common destiny with Europe – will undoubtedly hold a referendum on the UK’s continued membership in the European Union, with unpredictable consequences. For decades, political debate in Europe focused largely on economic institutions and policies. Conservatives argued for a private sector-driven economy, unfettered markets, low taxes, reduced government spending, and limited public goods. Liberals and social democrats supported a private-ownership economy, markets, European integration, and increased trade, tempered by substantially redistributive taxes and transfers, a strong social safety net, and some public ownership in areas such as infrastructure and finance. In this bi-polar system, the parties differed on the nuances of economic policy, but broadly agreed on democratic values, the European project, and the need to adapt to and manage globalisation, rather than reject it wholesale. But, with the growing success of appeals to identity and renewed ethnic or religious nationalism, that is changing. Are the ghosts of the early and mid-twentieth century returning? The question is particularly relevant for Europe, but it also has global significance. Loyalty to a perceived identity can have innocuous and enriching components, such as, say, the promotion of a regional language. The problem with identity politics is that it places the “in” group at odds with the perceived “other” – an approach that can easily foster chauvinism, invidious discrimination, and open antagonism. One major reason for the resurgence of identity politics in Europe is globalisation, which has limited the capacity of countries or peoples to control their economies. Indeed, the global economy has become so interconnected, and world markets so powerful, that there appears to be little scope for national policies to disrupt hypermobile capital flows. While globalisation has helped to boost overall prosperity, it has been most beneficial for those who form the new global elite. Meanwhile, many people in Europe face greater economic insecurity, owing to new technologies or competition

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Discretion in speech is more than eloquence SIR FRANCIS BACON

from lower-cost workers elsewhere. Unless they can upgrade their knowledge and skills – and, in some cases, move to a new industry or location – they face constrained economic opportunities. These disadvantaged groups are particularly large in the countries that were hit hardest by the recent global financial crisis and now struggle with high unemployment. But even people who are relatively prosperous are frustrated by some features of globalisation. They may oppose the use of their taxes to “subsidise” poorer people who do not share their identity, such as immigrants, French-speaking Belgians, southern Italians, or Greeks. When it comes to trade protectionism, European integration, and economic globalisation, those on the far right and the far left often share the same views. In France, for example, many supporters of the National Front voted communist 30 years ago. And, indeed, the National Front’s economic programme is rather similar to that of the Left Front (an electoral bloc comprising the French Communist Party and the Left Party). Of course, when it comes to immigration and human rights, the internationalist ideological tradition of socialism prevents extreme nationalist and racist discourse on the far left. But, given that these parties are competing with the far right for the same disenchanted voters, their humanism on these issues has become a severe political handicap, which may explain why the extreme right has lately been more successful electorally. Meanwhile, the rise of identity-driven political movements presents a huge challenge for Europe’s traditional political parties. Mainstream conservatives, widely perceived as being in thrall to the economic interests of the wealthy, must find ways to appear populist – but without sounding too much like their far-right competitors on immigration and human rights. Cameron has succeeded in this delicate balancing act – and has been rewarded by voters. Mainstream Republicans in the United States, pressured by the more extreme forces within their party, face a similar challenge. For centre-left parties, the task is even more daunting. They must offer voters a realistic economic programme that is market-friendly and open to international trade, while promising tangible benefits to the poorer 60-70 per cent of the population who are understandably frustrated with their lack of economic progress. If a left party’s economic policy is perceived as a weak copy of the right’s agenda, the poorest segments of the population will gravitate to chauvinist forces and their false promises of protection from the consequences of globalisation. - Project Syndicate

the same or declines, prices rise. The rise in prices forces people to share the limited resources. Laith Suheimat Muscat

Sheikh Khalfan remains a beacon of inspiration This refers to the news story, Sheikh Khalfan leaves behind legacy of positive life lesson (May 13). I was lucky that he knew me in person. I cannot forget his encouragement for me at Ibra College, when I introduced “AL- Munawar Theory- A way forward to Islamic Banking in Oman”. When I met him for the ﬁrst time at Caledonian College, he stole my heart and I took him as my ideal. My reverence for Sheikh Khalfan Al Esry continued to grow within me every time I met him since then. He

was a man of clear vision. Sheikh Khalfan Al Esry was a person who was very much down to earth. I will miss him and he will always remain in my heart as the beacon light of inspiration and righteousness. Munawar Hameed Muscat

Demise of Sheikh Khalfan is an irreparable loss The death of Sheikh Khalfan Al Esry, the noted Omani Scholar, is certainly a big loss for all the residents of Oman. But death is a reality and no person can ever escape it. We have to accept this reality. May the Almighty grant the bereaved family all the strength to bear this irreparable loss. Mohammed Osama Rawat Ruwi

Letters, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, P.C. 112, Ruwi), by fax (24813153) or by e-mail (times@omantel.net.om)

T I MES O F OM AN

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5

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PERSPEC IVE Will newly elected lawmakers protect Britain’s environment? W

orries are already being expressed about how the incoming Conservative Government might perform as a steward of the environment, so let us look at some of the new administration’s options and possible moves, especially now that there are no Lib Dem hands to restrain them. For discussion purposes, “the environment” can be divided into how the Cameron administration deals with climate change, and then with the care of the natural world, both issues for the ﬁrst time in the hands of women: Amber Rudd newly at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), and Liz Truss reappointed at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The overwhelming issue in Rudd’s in-tray is the UN Climate Conference in Paris this December, where the world may have its last chance to cut a deal to tackle global warming. Expect no major change of policy here. Britain’s position is already set in European stone, as last October the 28 EU member states agreed a common position in advance of the conference, to cut their carbon admissions by at least 40 per cent on 1990 levels by 2030. So despite the fact that some cabinet members may be climate-sceptic, Rudd could not resile from this position even if she wanted to (which does not seem to be the case). The worry is more about how this target is achieved, as many Tories are hostile to renewable energy, especially those forms of it which they see as blighting rural landscapes such as onshore wind and solar farms. The Government will cut subsidies to them. The threat to the defence of the natural world may be more serious. The Conservative manifesto promised to maintain our home-grown protected areas, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and Sites of Special Scientiﬁc Interest, but it said nothing about the strongest nature pro-

MICHAEL MCCARTHY

The threat to the defence of the natural world may be more serious. The Conservative manifesto promised to maintain our home-grown protected areas, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, but it said nothing about the strongest nature protection of all – the EU’s birds, habitats, and water directives

tection of all – the EU’s birds, habitats, and water directives. George Osborne attempted to have these watered down and another such attempt may well be made, not least as the European Commission President, JeanClaude Juncker, is currently attempting to do so himself. Osborne was rebuffed by the Environment Secretary at the time, Caroline Spelman; will Truss show the same steel? Perhaps. But while more amenable than her immediate predecessor, the green-hating Owen Paterson, she will certainly be called on to implement massive spending cuts in Defra itself, which may lead to the abolition of the Government’s wildlife watchdog, Natural England, as a separate entity. It is going to take a little longer to ﬁnd out who might come to the environment’s defence. They will be the members of the House of Commons select committees – those small bodies of MPs, usually about 15 strong, who scrutinise and hold to account the performance of individual departments. They will be appointed, through negotiations between the party whips, with the chairs elected by MPs over the next few weeks. So by mid-summer there will be an Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, and there will be a Defra Select Committee; but the key one will be the Environmental Audit Committee. The performance of the EAC in the last Parliament was terriﬁc: it issued 45 reports, staying the Government’s hand on a number of issues from fracking to pesticides. Its forceful chair, the Labour MP Joan Walley, has, alas, retired; but many will hope for the reappointment to it of the two most environmentally minded MPs in the House, the Tory (but in effect, independent) Zac Goldsmith, and the only Green MP, Caroline Lucas, who is a symbol of what many people want from politics. - The Independent

The poor state and status of mothers

very year, around this time, we get to see the same two camps in action. One that finds value in celebrating Mother’s Day and the other that accuses the first of being captivated by the West and in shackles of traditions that have nothing to do with our own. Unfortunately, in this bickering and endless conversation filled with inane arguments that happen every year, we tend to forget the core issue: the health and wellbeing of a mother in Pakistan. These days, there are two kinds of ratings and rankings that we all come across. There are those which are based on opinions of a select few and then there are those which are based on facts. Somehow the ones that are based on opinions, like the recent “poll that put Pakistani men among the list of the most attractive in the world” tend to captivate us more. While in principle, as a Pakistani male, I should be very excited, in reality, I could not care less about that. What is far more important to me is another ranking that came out around the same time. This one, based on actual data, and not perception, ranks Pakistan 149th amongst 179 countries in the annual “State of the World’s Mothers” report by Save the Children. This year, the focus of the report is on the status, health and well-being of mothers in urban areas.

MUHAMMAD HAMID ZAMAN

To put this in perspective, a few key points are worthy of note. First, Pakistan has slipped from 147 to 149 since last year. In other words, we are worse off than we were a year ago. Second, with the exception of Afghanistan, every single neighbour of ours ranks higher in terms of the state and status of mothers in the country. Afghanistan is just a couple of places behind us. In our Saarc group of nations, Pakistan ranks the lowest in terms of maternal health and well-being. Third, we may consider ourselves as the rapidly rising Asian force, but the data tells us otherwise. With the exception of Afghanistan, Myanmar and Yemen, countries with tremendous domestic challenges, we are behind every single country in the entire Asian continent. The report is comprehensive and data-driven, but paints a grim picture. What is perhaps more disturbing is our collective response. The response of those who we have somehow entrusted with policymaking and governance is probably best summed as a “softdenial”. MNA Rumina Alam was quick to blame the provinces under the universal excuse of the 18th Amendment. Another MNA, Maiza Hameed, said that the government had been taking steps to resolve the issue. Not sure what those steps are and if there are steps being

taken, did anyone wonder why they are not working. Or are we in a state of denial and assuming that somehow things are getting better? Clearly, the MNAs and I are not reading the same report. I would be glad to read what the policymakers are reading. We can use the excuse of the 18th Amendment only for so long before it gets dull and boring. At some point, we have to own our problems and stop blaming the Constitution for the depressing state of health we are in. And if indeed we are the geniuses we claim to be and have figured out the problem, and it is the 18th Amendment, then let us fix that. The problem is neither the 18th Amendment nor those who make these reports. The problem is a fundamentally misogynistic society that is quick to go in endless debates about how good or awful celebrating Mother’s Day is, but fails to consider half the society as equal human beings. From those who spew hatred and misogyny from the pulpit to those who deny women basic human rights to those supposedly ‘educated ones’ who get threatened by a talented, dedicated and ambitious female colleague, the report on the health and wellbeing of women in Pakistan is just one of the many mirrors that reflect reality. We have a long way to go before we can consider ourselves worthy of celebrating our mothers. - The Express Tribune

Of museums and racial relics CHARLES M. BLOW

ecently, Rush Limbaugh lambasted the first lady, Michelle Obama, for bringing up the idea of diversity among museum visitors at the opening of the new Whitney Museum in New York. According to Limbaugh, the first lady said: “Museums and concert halls just don’t welcome nonwhite visitors — especially children — the way they welcome white people.” What the first lady actually said was: “You see, there are so many kids in this country who look at places like museums and concert halls and other cultural centres and they think to themselves, well, that’s not a place for me, for someone who looks like me, for someone who comes from my neighbourhood. In fact, I guarantee you that right now, there are kids living less than a mile from here who would never in a million years dream that they would be welcome in this museum.” Then, she went on to laud the Whitney for its efforts at inclusion and diversity.: “And with this inaugural exhibition, the Whitney is really sending the same message to young people and to people of every background across this country. You’re telling them that their story is part of the American story, and that they deserve to be seen. And you’re sending that message not just with the art you display, but with the educational programme you run here. You’re reaching out to kids from all backgrounds, exposing them to the arts, showing them that they have something to contribute.” And, the first lady was right. A 2010 report by the Centre for the Future of Museums (an initiative of the American Association of Museums) found that: “African-Americans and Latinos have notably lower rates of museum attendance than white Americans. Why is that so? In part, it is the legacy of historic discrimination. A summary study of SPPA (Survey of Public Participation in the Arts) data from the 1980s on white and black attendance at arts events concluded that the measurable difference in participation could be tied to ‘subtle forms of exclusion.’ ” The report cited data that shows “historic patterns of segregation and exclusion as one reason that fewer African-American families instil museum-going habits in their young children. More recent studies have identified a distinct cultural psychology among AfricanAmericans, rooted in historical and social experience, which has produced heightened sensitivity to stereotypes and real or perceived

racism.” But for Limbaugh, this wasn’t about museum attendance at all. It was simply another opportunity to excrete the tired banalities about the Obamas as failed racial messiahs at best, and active racial agitators at worst. As Limbaugh put it: “Everything has to be about race with these people! You know, we were supposed to be post-racial with the election of Obama. We’re supposed to have put all that behind us. His election was supposed to mean something. It was supposed to signify that we had overcome and gotten past the original sin of slavery. And instead, as I knew would be the case, it’s gotten worse by design. And this is one of the reasons why. And this isn’t only Limbaugh’s view. This is the view of many Americans, whether they tune in to Limbaugh or not. Obama’s sin, using this line of logic, is that he failed to undo the system of oppression that he had no hand in constructing. It is that 400 years of damage was not undone in two terms. It is that he didn’t encourage silence about inequity so that its benefactors could enjoy the cumulative fruit of centuries of racial graft without current-day guilt. They wanted some mythical receipt of satisfaction of the debt. Let bygones be bygones. All is forgotten and forgiven. Clean slate. Fresh start. If only it were that simple. But it’s not. This whole line of reasoning is racial claptrap. Professorial provocateur Shelby Steele wrote in The Los Angeles Times the day after Obama was first elected in 2008: “Obama’s postracial idealism told whites the one thing they most wanted to hear: America had essentially contained the evil of racism to the point at which it was no longer a serious barrier to black advancement.” But, Steele countered: “I don’t think whites really want change from Obama as much as they want documentation of change that has already occurred. They want him in the White House first of all as evidence, certification and recognition.” And yet, all of America must face the reality that for as much progress as has been made, much remains to be made. America must face the fact that the electorate is an of-the-moment entity, but racial oppression is an ofthe-ages monstrosity. It is a resilient relic. And it was never within Obama’s capacity to dismantle it. This structure must be demolished by its architects. - The New York Times News Service

A440M ﬂeet grounded after accident

TODAY IN HISTORY

The Airbus A400M military transport plane, Europe’s largest defence project, has been largely grounded by current operators after one of the aircraft crashed during a test ﬂight in Spain, killing four people AIRBUS A400M ATLAS: Development cost more than €20 billion ($22 billion). Aircraft capable of strategic and tactical roles, and can perform aerial refuelling Powerplant: Four TP400-D6 Crew: 2 or 3 pilots, turboprops, 8,250kW each 1 loadmaster

Cargo bay: Room for 116 troops, 66 stretchers plus 25 medical staff, or various vehicles and helicopters

ORDERS AND DELIVERIES As of March 2015 Operator Ordered

FROM OUR ARCHIVES Delivered / in service*

SPECIFICATIONS

Germany

A400M Atlas

France

Spain

Turkey

Belgium

Malaysia

Luxembourg

174

C-130 Hercules A400M

C-130J

45.1m

29.3m

Max. speed

780km/h

670km/h

Range

3,300km

3,147km

Max. payload

37,000kg

21,770kg

Hold volume

340m3

170.5m3

Unit cost

$190m

$70m

Length

Total

*A400M ﬂights suspended pending investigations into crash. France authorising use of aircraft only for most urgent operations

Source: Airbus, Jane’s Information Group, wire agencies

Graphic News /

Graphics

1264

King Henry III is captured by his brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort, at the Battle of Lewes.

1509

At the Battle of Agnadello, the French defeat the Venitians in Northern Italy.

1610

French King Henri IV (Henri de Navarre) is assassinated by François Ravillac, a fanatical monk.

1935

A plebiscite in the Philippines ratiﬁes an independence agreement.

1940

Holland surrenders to Germany.

1942

The British Army, in retreat from Burma, reach India.

HEALTH CENTRES EQUIPPED WITH DENTAL FACILITIES: AL KHONJI

MUSCAT: Director General of health service in the governorate of Muscat, Ahmed Al Khonji, said that all health centres in the governorate are well equipped with state-of-theart dental equipment to provide dental care to their catchment population. “Omanisation of dental surgeons and dental surgery assistants is almost hundred per cent,” he added. Al Nadha Hospital will provide only specialist dental oral care for patients referred from health centres and other hospitals in the Sultanate only on appointment basis. Emergency cover is available 24 hours round the clock for oral and maxillofacial surgery,” he added. Al Khonji pointed out that appointments for specialist/consultant clinics does not exceed a month at most, however patients who insist on coming for routine dental treatment.

HISTORYNET.COM

A 14

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

WORLD

We are severely concerned by relevant remarks made by the American side. Freedom of navigation does not mean that the military vessels or aircraft of a foreign country can wilfully enter the territorial waters or airspace of another country, said China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying

NATO, Afghanistan agree on military-civilian mission leading the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan to train Afghan security forces after the International Security Assistance Force wound up late last year

Major decision “We took a major decision,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “We will maintain our presence in Afghanistan even after the end of our current mission. “Unlike our present mission,

US plans on disputed waters draws China’s wrath BEIJING: Beijing expressed anger on Wednesday after reports the United States was considering ramping up its military presence in disputed South China Sea waters and confronting Chinese territorial claims with ships and aircraft. Defence Secretary Ash Carter asked staff to explore sending Navy surveillance aircraft and vessels to islands which Washington believes have been rapidly built up by China in recent months, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday, citing officials. “We are severely concerned by relevant remarks made by the American side,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular brieﬁng in Beijing. “Freedom of navigation does not mean that the military vessels or aircraft of a foreign country can wilfully enter the territorial waters or airspace of another country.”

NATO is currently

ANTALYA (TURKEY): NATO and Afghan leaders on Wednesday agreed on a framework for a future joint military-civilian presence in Afghanistan when the alliance’s current mission ends, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. While the new mission would have a military component it would notably be led by a civilian, Stoltenberg said after a session of the NATO foreign ministers meeting in the Turkish city of Antalya attended by Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and NATO’s top general in Afghanistan, John Campbell. NATO is currently leading the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan to train Afghan security forces after the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) wound up late last year.

SOUTH CHINA SEA

INSURGENCY: Afghan security forces arrive at the site of an attack in Helmand province, on Wednesday. Gunmen opened ﬁre on a gath-

ering of Afghan clerics in the southern province of Helmand, killing seven people, police said. — Reuters/Stringer

our future presence will be led by civilians.” He said the future mission “will have a light footprint but will have a military component.” Stoltenberg said NATO offices had been tasked with working out a plan of the new mission by the autumn. It is not yet immediately clear when the Resolute Support mission will end and the new mission could start. “The aim will be to advise Afghan institutions to help them become self-sufficient and help them build on what they have done so far,” he said.

He said NATO and the Afghan government had succeeded Wednesday in agreeing on the “guidelines” of the new mission. Lesser troops Without giving precise ﬁgures, Stoltenberg said the numbers would be smaller than the present number of personnel, which comprises around 12,500 troops. With deadly Taliban attacks against the security forces a regular occurrence, Stoltenberg acknowledged that Afghanistan remained a “dangerous place”.

He said the Afghan security forces had made “enormous sacrifices” and NATO allies and partners “will stay the course.” Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said on the sidelines of the meeting that the violence in Afghanistan remained significant at the start of 2015, “more than we expected”. “This means that the conflict with the Taliban remains very much open.” Speaking separately after the talks, Rabbani hailed the “commitment” shown by the alliance towards Afghanistan. “We received assurances from

all the NATO members that their support will continue to enhance the capability of the Afghan national security forces,” he said. “In the coming years, they will be standing by the Afghan people.” ISAF was established by UN Security Council resolution in 2001 in the wake of the US invasion of the country to provide security and ﬁght the Taliban after their overthrow by American forces. The ISAF concluded operations in December 2014, making the transition to the Resolute Support mission. — AFP

Provoked alarm China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours, and has provoked alarm with increasingly bold actions. United States officials last week accused China of building up to 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of artiﬁcial islands in the Spratlys, an archipelago of more than a hundred islands, reefs and atolls between Vietnam and the Philippines. China could construct airﬁelds, surveillance systems and harbours that would jeopardise regional stability, they said. The US has so far not sent ships and aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the reclaimed reefs -- the standard zone for territorial waters around natural land -- in order to avoid escalating tensions, the WSJ said. “We’re just not going within the 12 miles — yet,” it quoted a senior US official as saying. — AFP

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5 The info we have is that it is down in one of the rivers, but none of the choppers has seen it yet Major Rajan Dahal, Second-in-command of the Barda Bahadur Battalion

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Dozens were missing

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and feared dead as investigators tried to determine the cause of ﬁre in the rubber slipper factory

MANILA: A fire at a Philippine rubber slipper factory killed 31 workers on Wednesday and dozens were missing and feared dead, government and fire officials said. Ariel Barayuga, head of bureau of fire protection, said investigators were trying to determine the cause of fire in the capital, Manila, that trapped workers at the twostorey factory building of Kentex Manufacturing Inc, which makes flip-flops and slippers. Suffocated A fireman who gave his name as Soriano said 31 bodies had been found, adding most of the victims had died of suffocation. “There could be more buried under debris,” he said. “There was someone who was welding at the main entrance and suddenly there was an explosion. It was really fast.”

DEADLY BLAZE: Fireﬁghters attempt to control a raging ﬁre at a factory that manufactures slippers in

Valenzuela City, north of Manila, on Wednesday. – Reuters

He said there were ﬂammable materials and chemicals that helped spread the ﬂames. About 200 to 300 people worked in the factory, according to Veato Ang, the factory owner. “It just broke out and people started running,” he said. Thirty-nine workers had been accounted for, but 65 were re-

H AC K E D T O D E AT H

Protests against Bangladesh blogger’s murder DHAKA: Activists marched through the Bangladeshi city of Sylhet on Wednesday to demand justice for a blogger hacked to death this week, the third such attack by suspected hardliners since February. Scores of activists, mostly university students, peacefully protested through the northeastern city, accusing the government of failing to protect free thinkers and urging authorities to halt “this evil force”. Wielding machetes, a masked gang killed Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker, editor and blogger, on Tuesday as he headed to work in Sylhet, an attack that fellow writers said highlighted a culture of impunity. “Murder won’t silence our mouths,” the protesters chanted as they marched along a key highway and through Sylhet university, a secular bastion. “We want justice for Ananta and the other bloggers who have been murdered by militants. The government must crush this evil force,” Debashish Debu, a secular activist who joined the protest, told AFP. Das was the third blogger killed in the nation since February when Bangladeshi-born US

citizen Avijit Roy was hacked to death in the capital Dhaka. The deaths have sparked international condemnation, with Washington on Tuesday calling on Dhaka to bring perpetrators of the latest killing to justice. The activists had called for a strike in Sylhet on Wednesday, although police said offices and schools were mostly open and traffic was running almost as normal. “Scores of young protesters held two marches in support of the strike,” deputy commissioner of police Faisal Mahmud said. Mahmud said police suspected militants were behind Tuesday’s killing although there have been no arrests so far. He said Das’s brother ﬁled a criminal case against four unidentiﬁed people over the killing, saying Das was murdered by an “extremist fanatic group”. Fellow writers have said Das had been on a hit-list drawn up by militants who were behind the recent killing of blogger Roy. Friends said Das was an editor of a magazine called Jukti (Logic) and headed the Sylhetbased Science and Rationalist Council. — AFP

E A R T H QUA K E - H I T NAT I O N

Hundreds search for missing US helicopter in Nepal CHARIKOT (NEPAL): Hundreds of Nepali troops searched for a missing US Marine helicopter with eight people on board on Wednesday, a day after the second powerful earthquake in less than three weeks killed scores and sent panicked residents rushing out of buildings. The US helicopter was delivering aid in Dolakha, one of the districts hit hardest by both quakes, on Tuesday when it went missing with six Marines and two Nepali troops on board. In the district capital Charikot, relief and military helicopters brought people wounded when buildings collapsed and landslides struck in outyling hamlets to an open-air clinic where they were treated on bloodied tarpaulins. On one ﬂight was Uttav Nepali from Singati village, where there was a large landslide under which authorities believed people were still buried. He said only a handful of houses were left

standing. “I was outside when the quake struck. Bricks and the top floor of my shop fell down and crushed my arm and back,” Nepali said, as he sat among villagers from other communities and waited to find out if he was headed to Kathmandu for treatment. The helicopters alternated between evacuating and helping find the Marine Corps UH-1Y “Huey” helicopter, which lost radio contact after its crew was heard talking about fuel problems. A Nepali military official said it appeared the helicopter might have come down in one of the rivers in Dolakha district east of the capital, Kathmandu. Six other helicopters joined hundreds of ground troops in the search. “The info we have is that it is down in one of the rivers, but none of the choppers has seen it yet,” Major Rajan Dahal, secondin-command of the Barda Bahadur Battalion, told Reuters in Charikot. — Reuters

ported missing and feared dead. Portions of the wall and roof on the second ﬂoor also collapsed and hit some of the workers. “I have been informed that 65 people could not be located and might be inside that building,” Mayor Rex Gatchalian told journalists. “I was told no one survived inside, but I am still hoping some

of those trapped were able to escape the building safely.” Firemen said the building threatened to collapse after the blaze. “They were lying side by side, but all I could see were their bones,” the Manila ﬁre marshal, Senior Superintendent Sergio Soriano said. The ﬁre sent a huge column of

black smoke above the metropolis of 14 million people. “I’m hoping against hope that they’re still alive,” Gatchalian said of the missing. Gatchalian told wailing relatives outside the burning flip-flop factory earlier that none of those trapped inside had survived the fire. Sparks from welding equipment used to repair a broken inner gate ignited flammable chemicals stored nearby, he added. “It happened so fast that few people were able to escape,” he said, adding workers downstairs who were blocked by flames and smoke also fled upstairs where the bodies were later seen. Fire engines lined the street outside as night fell, with firemen continuing to direct their water cannons at the blackened building, which was bathed with beams from search lights. Foul smell The reek of foul-smelling chemicals hung in the air. City officials drew up an official list of potential victims from the accounts of relatives who said they had yet to locate family members who were on duty at the factory at the time the blaze struck. A distraught factory worker

Nedy Neverio, 35, joined other relatives gathered outside, anxiously awaiting word of her elder sister Nora Verenzuela, 42, and two nephews. “Someone told us no one escaped from the area where she was assigned” packing flip-flops into bags, Neverio said. “My sister’s workplace was near the chemicals. She was not able to get out because the flames had spread,” Neverio added. Injured survivor Emma Santa Agata told ABS-CBN television many of her fellow workers were trapped at their work stations on the second floor. “My boss and I were running out when we were blocked by fire and smoke,” Santa Agata said. “There was a sudden explosion and he got hit on the arm,” said the woman, whose hair was singed according to the network. “We were all confused because almost everybody was panicking,” Jun Panalo, a worker who jumped from the second floor, told reporters. “I jumped out, and then someone followed me. I jumped through the fire. My hair was burned.” Huge and sometimes deadly fires at sprawling slums as well as factories are a common occurrence in the Philippine capital, where fire safety regulations are sometimes wilfully disregarded. In one of Manila’s deadliestever fires, 162 people were killed and 94 others injured at a disco in 1996. — Agencies

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Muscat 6,314.80 - 7.79 - 0.12%

Dubai 4,067.42 + 11.10 + 0.27%

Abu Dhabi 4,614.36 + 20.17 + 0.44%

Kuwait 6,379.54 - 3.08 - 0.05%

Saudi Arabia

9,671.97 + 44.56 + 0.46%

Bahrain 1,393.23 + 4.22 + 0.30%

Qatar 12,366.92 + 116.71 + 0.95%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

Type ............................Delivery...........Price

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.28 Pound ...........................................1.64 Indian Rs ................................161.11 Pak Rs ....................................260.01 Bangla Taka.......................199.52

Indian Rs ..................................166.00 Pakistan Rs ............................ 263.25 Sri Lanka Rs .......................... 345.50 Bangla Taka.............................201.70 Phil Peso .................................... 115.50

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......15.35

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$66.37 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$65.36 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$68.00 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$64.96 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) .........$61.87 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$61.34

* Rates are as of May 13 Source: Bank Muscat

* Rates as of May 13 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Phoenix Power projects attractive dividend yield Company’s initial public offering promises investors an attractive annual dividend yield of 7.3 per cent between 2015 and 2019 and given the interest rate environment, it is very attractive Times News Service MUSCAT: Phoenix Power Company, the biggest power project that floated an initial public offering of OMR56.3 million on May 10, projected an attractive 7.3 per cent dividend yield for the next five years, which is highest among listed power firms in Oman. The initial public offering promises investors an attractive annual dividend yield of 7.3 per cent between 2015 and 2019 and given the interest rate environment, it is very attractive. This compares with an average dividend yield of 5.9 per cent for other power companies listed on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM). The first dividend will be

paid in July, 2015, and twice yearly thereafter. At the offer price, the company offers an IRR of13.5 per cent to the investors as detailed in the prospectus. “The IPO is attractively priced,” said Abdullah Al Hinai, deputy general manager of investment banking division of Bank Muscat. Largest power project The share offer is available for both Omanis and foreign residents. The primary issue is divided into two categories, on the basis of size of subscription. As many as 65 per cent is reserved for the ﬁrst category, who apply for shares between 1,000 and 600,000, while the second category is institutions and high-net worth individ-

uals who apply for shares between 600,100 and 51,191,000. As the largest power plant in Oman, the contracted plant’s power capacity of 2,000 megawatt represents 27.8 per cent of the main interconnected system. The $1.6 billion-independent power project was partly ($1.2 billion) funded by way of debt from international banks. The company has entered into a 15-year power purchase agreement with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company, which will expire in 2029. Addressing the media to highlight attractiveness of the share offer, Peter Jones, executive managing director, Phoenix Power said that the company has achieved highest reliability of 99.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2015. “The IPO marks a milestone in the company’s history and we are very pleased by the positive reception and the significant level of investor interest we have seen so far. We are seeing interest from individual and institutional investors who share our view that the offer represents a good opportunity for investors to benefit from an attractive and robust sector, stable revenues, and competitive dividend yields of Phoenix Power.”

Phoenix Power is offering 511,910,511 shares, representing 35 per cent of the issued share capital of Phoenix Power. The shares will be priced at 110 baisas per share, inferring a total offer size of OMR56.3 million and a market capitalisation on listing of OMR161 million. The offering is expected to be the biggest in Oman this year and will close on June 8, 2015. The IPO roadshow, held on May 13, 2015 in Muscat, was well attended by a wide cross-section of investor groups, including institutional investors, high-net worth individuals and established family offices. Khalid Jolo, chairman of Phoenix Power said, “Phoenix Power has the backing of Founders with a proven track record of implementing large and complex independent power and water plants globally and in the GCC. A well proven contractual framework for gas supply and off-take arrangements with the Government also underpins the commercial strength of the IPO”. “The roadshow is providing a great experience to meet face-toface with potential investors in Phoenix Power and we look forward to becoming a publicly listed

company and broadening our existing shareholder base.” Strengths of Phoenix Power include a contracted power purchase until 2029 with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company, steady and reliable cash ﬂows till 2029, even in a scenario of power demand volatility and the fact that fuel supply and price risk is mitigated through the gas supply agreement. Extensive experience and expertise of the founding shareholders with an established track record The primary fuel used by Phoenix Power Company is natural gas, In the event that the power purchase agreement is extended, teh natural gas supply agreement will be automatically extended. Phoenix Power Company is backed by founders who have demonstrated their expertise in successfully implementing large scale independent power and water plants globally, in the GCC and in Oman. Application forms for the share offer are available for collection at any branches of the six subscription banks - Bank Muscat, National Bank of Oman, Oman Arab Bank, Bank Dhofar, ahlibank, and Bank Sohar.

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) ....... 14.75 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 144.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 136.75 * Rates as of May 13 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

MERGER AND ACQUISITIONS

United Finance invites bids from three ﬁrms for merger Times News Service MUSCAT: United Finance Co has invited National Bank of Oman, Bank Nizwa and Al Omaniya Financial Services to participate in a merger and acquisition bidding process, it said on Wednesday. All the three companies have shown interest in acquiring United Finance, one of the leading leasing and hire purchase ﬁrms in Oman. The company said last month that it had received an offer from National Bank of Oman to buy the company. The offer appeared to challenge a proposed merger between United Finance and Bank Nizwa which was already under discussion.

Corrigendum In the news article titled ‘Oman Rail invites tenders for projects,’ in Times of Oman on May 13, the fee for companies participating in the pre-qualiﬁcation bid for engineering, procurement and contracting services of the railway project is OMR3,000 and not OMR300 as reported in the paper. The error is regretted.

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

MARKET Rolls-Royce launches new model The newly launched model, a sensuous drophead, will be known as Rolls-Royce Dawn Times News Service MUSCAT: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars on Wednesday announced the name of its forthcoming new car. The new model, a sensuous drophead, will be known as RollsRoyce Dawn. The car was unveiled to representatives of the marque’s 130-strong global dealer network at the 2015 Rolls-Royce World Dealer Conference in Los Angeles, California, said a company release.

“Our new Rolls-Royce Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date,” said Torsten MuellerOetvoes, chief executive officer. “Dawn is a beautiful new open-top motor car with a name that suggests the fresh opportunities that every new day holds – an awakening, an opening up of one’s senses and a burst of sunshine. It will be the most social of super-luxury motor cars for those beautiful peo-

– Supplied picture

ple who wish to bathe in the sunlight of the world’s social hotspots.” Rolls-Royce Dawn is the next step in the renaissance of RollsRoyce Motor Cars, which began in

2003 with the launch of Phantom and subsequent introductions of Ghost and Wraith. It justiﬁes the continuing investment of the BMW Group into

alizz islamic bank inks pact to finance Shaden’s new phase of Al Hail Project Times News Service MUSCAT: alizz islamic bank, Oman’s newest full-fledged Islamic bank, recently signed a strategic agreement with Shaden Development Company for providing longterm Sharia compliant financing for the implementation of Shaden Al Hail Project phase-2. The contract was signed by Salaam Al Shaksy, Chief Executive Officer of alizz islamic bank and Engineer Khamis bin Mubarak Al Kiyumi, Chairman of Shaden Development Company. The signing ceremony was attended by the senior management of Shaden Development Company including Abdul Samad bin Mohammed Al Maskari, CEO, Engineer Harith Al Barashdi, Deputy CEO, Girish Koli, CFO, as well as senior officials from alizz islamic bank including Ehab Hashish, Deputy General Manager, Head of Wholesale Banking.

STRATEGIC AGREEMENT: Contract was signed by Salaam Al Shaksy, chief executive officer of alizz islamic bank and Engineer Khamis bin Mubarak Al Kiyumi, chairman of Shaden Development Company. — Supplied picture

Al Kyumi, Chairman of Shaden Development Company said, “The real estate market is witnessing a construction and tourism boom due to the economic growth in the Sultanate and the availability of liquidity. I believe the real estate market in the Sultanate has substantial potential for growth and development that meet the requirements of a large segment of the community, in ad-

dition to the real estate diversity in the logistics sector.” Shaden Al Hail Shaden Development has developed one of its projects (Shaden Al Hail) to include a shopping centre, hotel of 300 rooms, a health club and swimming pools. The project is surrounded by green surfaces and is beautifully landscaped. The project is char-

acterised as a commercial residential project located in Al Hail North of A’Seeb area opposite to Sultan Qaboos Street and near the entertainment centres and large residential projects including the Wave, City Centre, Al Bahja, and Muscat International Airport. The company also plans to develop another 23,000 square metres project in the same location, comprising a private hospital with international standards, a hotel, and a commercial centre. alizz islamic bank provides Sharia compliant ﬁnancial solutions for corporate, government and individual customers. The bank’s focus is on business requirements driven by industry insight, superior technology and commitment to exceptional customer service. All the products and services are approved and issued by the Bank’s Sharia Supervisory Board (SSB). The transaction was led by experienced corporate banking team offering a comprehensive suite of corporate solutions that met the requirements of the business. alizz islamic bank is one of the first dedicated Islamic banks in Oman. With an aim to offer customers an enriching banking experience designed for today’s modern world, the Bank has focused its investments on human capital and best of breed of technology to ensure the delivery of exceptional, responsive customer service. Transparent processes and innovative products and solutions that are inspired by Islamic Shari’a cater to the diverse needs of both commercial and corporate customers.

OMANI PRODUCTS’ EXHIBITION

More than 100 companies to participate in Omani products’ exhibition in Jeddah Times News Service

Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy. — Supplied picture

dawn provides an erotic tingle on the skin, awakening the senses and passions as the day begins. Like Eleanor Thornton, thought by many to be the inspiration behind the Spirit of Ecstasy, the Rolls-Royce Dawn will also prove itself to be the muse that leads its owner to believe that at the start of the day, anything is possible. The new Rolls-Royce Dawn is beguilingly visceral. It excites both men and women – they want it, they need it and they want to immerse themselves in it. It is languid and beautiful, fresh and fragrant and awakens the passion of your life. New life, new possibilities, fresh horizons – a tingling, anticipatory ambience in the air – all signiﬁed by a new Dawn.

BRIEFS

MORTGAGE FINANCE

New project Commenting on the agreement, Salaam Al Shaksy, Chief Executive Officer of alizz islamic bank said “We are pleased to partner with Shaden Development Company to ﬁnance their new project in Al Hail. This is in line with our strategy to support the local tourism and property development projects. The Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment towards ﬁnancing projects which contribute to the local economy.” Al Shaksy also added that the entry of Islamic institutions has brought a range of shari’a compliant products and services to meet the diverse needs of the economy. Engineer Khamis bin Mubarak

the world’s pinnacle super-luxury brand. The new Rolls-Royce Dawn will revive another famous and rare Rolls-Royce name ﬁrst used in 1949, but only ever applied to 28 very special drophead bodies between 1950 and 1954. A new beginning for Rolls-Royce at the time, the original Silver Dawn was the ﬁrst Rolls-Royce to be offered with a factory-built body. The drophead Rolls-Royces that carried the name Dawn continued to be coach-built for individual customers, ensuring their uniqueness and rarity. ‘Dawn’ perfectly expresses the character of the new Rolls-Royce. In its tentative, inchoate, anticipatory state, dawn is the world coming to light from the ethereal dark of the night. The early-day chill of

MUSCAT: As part of the campaign to promote locally manufactured products abroad, the Omani Products Exhibition (OPEX 2015) is all set to begin in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday under the auspices of Dr Tawﬁq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, Saudi minister of commerce and industry, and in the presence of Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Oman’s minister of commerce and industry. Ayman Al Hasani, chairman of the OPEX organising committee and vice chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and In-

dustry (OCCI), said in a press release that the exhibition aims at presenting an apt platform to introduce high quality Omani products and vital Omani industries to the companies and consumers in Jeddah. “We aspire to create new markets and open prospects for further collaborations between companies from the two countries,” noted Al Hasani. Al Hasani added that OPEX 2015 will be the biggest in terms of participation as compared to the three previous exhibitions. “This year, around 130 Omani ﬁrms will take part, of which 100 are industrial ﬁrms, 20 are SMEs,

and 10 are specialised handicraft industries,” he revealed. Organised by a committee formed by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (ITHRAA), and OCCI, the Omani Products Exhibition endeavours to promote Omani products and increase their exports to the strategic market of Jeddah . The expo aims to build upon the success of the previous exhibitions held in Dubai, Doha and Riyadh, by presenting an ultimate platform to introduce high quality Omani products to the visitors.

Ominvest shareholders to consider merger plan MUSCAT: Oman International Development and Investment Company (Ominvest) board has invited shareholders to attend an extraordinary general meeting on May 31, 2015. The meeting will consider and approve the proposed merger by incorporation of Oman National Investment Corporation Holding (ONICH) into Ominvest, and to authorise the board of directors to do all acts deemed necessary in connection with the merger. It will also consider and approve the increase in the authorised capital of Ominvest from OMR50 million to OMR90 million and the increase of the issued capital from OMR37,041,730 to OMR55,286,164.2 by way of allocating the increased shares to ONICH shareholders proportionately in connection with the merger, and to amend Ominvest’s Articles of Association accordingly. In accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association and amendments, each shareholder is entitled to give a written proxy to another person to attend the meeting and vote on his/her behalf on the official proxy card attached.

Oman Hotels to construct hotel in Al Khuwair area MUSCAT: Oman Hotels and Tourism Company had acquired a plot of 3,044 square metres at a cost of OMR2,058,315 in rapidly growing Al Khuwair area to construct a hotel. Feasibility study and any further information will be disclosed as and when it is available.

HSBC, BNP pitch again for $5b Abu Dhabi financing DUBAI: HSBC Holdings, BNP Paribas and National Bank of Abu Dhabi are among banks seeking to advise on raising financing for a $5 billion chemicals plant in Abu Dhabi, three people with knowledge of the matter said. Abu Dhabi National Chemicals Co. asked banks to bid for the role to advise on the first phase of the project last month, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. It’s the third time since the company’s formation in 2008 that it has sought to hire a financial adviser for the project, without appointing anyone, according to the people. Abu Dhabi is seeking to build the company, known as Chemaweyaat, into one of the world’s top 10 chemical producers as part of plans by the emirate to diversify its economy and create jobs. Chemaweyaat had aimed to begin production at its first plant in 2015 and shifted its location from a port near the capital to an oil refinery at the Ruwais industrial area. Chemaweyaat and NBAD didn’t respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for HSBC declined to comment, and a spokeswoman for BNP Paribas also declined to comment. The chemicals company is jointly owned by International Petroleum Investment Co., Abu Dhabi Investment Council and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.

Abu Dhabi’s Centurion plans hospital unit IPO DUBAI: Abu Dhabi-based Centurion Investment plans to sell shares in its CosmeSurge and Emirates Hospital Group unit, people familiar with the matter said, as the health-care provider expands. Centurion hired banks to advise on the initial public offering, said the people, asking not to be identiﬁed because the matter isn’t public yet. CSEH also hired Pramod Balakrishnan from Al Noor Hospitals Group Plc as chief ﬁnancial officer, they said. Centurion acquired Dubai-based CSEH last year as part of its purchase of health-care group CSH Investments. The company plans to invest about $270 million to open more clinics, hospitals, and acquire healthcare companies in the United Arab Emirates and abroad, it said earlier this month. Middle Eastern health-care providers, including Abu Dhabi’s Al Noor and NMC Health Plc., have sold shares in London to tap a wider investor pool. Al Noor raised 1.27 billion dirhams ($346 million) in a London listing in 2013, while NMC Health Plc raised 749 million dirhams in 2012. — Times News Service/Agencies

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

MARKET Index falls marginally

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................6,327.85 ...............6,314.80 ................... 6,314.80 ...................6,322.59...................-7.79 .................. -0.12 Financial Index ..................................... 7,755.05 ...............7,732.84 ....................7,732.84 ....................7,720.01..................12.83 ................... 0.17 Industrial Index ................................... 8,333.23 .............. 8,308.38 ................... 8,310.32 ................... 8,326.13.................-15.81 .................. -0.19 Services Index .......................................3,442.11 ...............3,420.61 ................... 3,420.87 ................... 3,442.11................-21.24 .................. -0.62 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................973.85 .................. 973.51 ...................... 973.80 .......................973.73....................0.07 ................... 0.01 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 21,521,518 .................. 6,429,386 .....................777 ............... 14,702,781,808 ................ 13 ........................7 .................... 27 .........................47

Wednesday’s top gainer was Al Madina Investment, up by 6.58 per cent, while Global

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

Financial Investment, down by 3.51 per cent, ISIN ..................................................SECURITY NAME ...............................................................................................VOLUME ..............TURNOVER...................TRADES ...........OPEN PRICE............. HIGH....................LOW...............CLOSE PR. ..........PREV. CLOSE..........DIFF (RO) .................DIFF %......................LAST PR...............LAST BID.....................LAST OFFER .................MARKET CAP ........PAR VALUE

was the top loser REGULAR MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... MUSCAT: Oman’s general index, MSM30 Index, closed at 6,314.80 points, down by 0.12 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index moved up by 0.07 per cent to close at 973.73 points. Al Madina Investment was the most active in terms of volume, while Bank Muscat was the most active in terms of turnover. Wednesday’s top gainer was Al Madina Investment, up by 6.58 per cent, while Global Financial Investment, down by 3.51 per cent, was the top loser for the day. As many as 777 trades were executed during the day’s trading session generating turnover of OMR6.42 million with more than 21.521 million shares changing hands. Out of 47 traded securities, 13 advanced, 7 declined and 27 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers for OMR858,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR553,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors for OMR306,000 worth of shares. Financial Index up by 0.17 per cent to close at 7232.84 points. Al Madina Investment, Al Anwar Holding, Oman & Emirates and United Finance increased by 6.58 per cent, 3.75 per cent, 0.90 per cent and 0.80 per cent, respectively. Global Financial Investment, Al Sharqiya Investment Holding and BankDhofar declined by 3.51 per cent, 2.16 per cent and 1.43 per cent, respectively. Industrial Index closed at 8,310.32 points, down by 0.19 per cent. Al Maha Ceramics, Galfar Engineering and Oman Cement increased by 0.76 per cent, 0.76 per cent and 0.38 per cent, respectively. Voltamp Energy and Galfar Engineering declined by 4.76 per cent and 0.88 per cent, respectively. Services Sector Index down by 0.62 per cent to end the day at 3,420.87 points. National Gas,

OIFC and Sharqiyah Desalination increased by 0.5 per cent, 0.43 per cent and 0.30 per cent, respectively. Sohar Power and Renaissance Services declined by 8.11 per cent and 3.33 per cent, respectively.

OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 5,239,172 ......426,346....................181 ........... 0.082 ...........0.083 ...........0.080........... 0.081 .............0.076 ........... 0.005............. 6.579 ................0.080..............0.080...................0.081................... 16,779,262 .........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 1,055,833 ......262,559.....................90 ........... 0.245 ...........0.252 ...........0.245........... 0.249 .............0.240 ........... 0.009............. 3.750 ................0.250..............0.249...................0.250 ..................32,494,500.........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 680,147 ............76,013..................... 23 ............0.113 ........... 0.114............ 0.111 ............0.112 ............. 0.111 .............0.001 ............. 0.901 ................ 0.111 .............. 0.110................... 0.111 ...................13,650,000 .........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 593,070 ............74,742..................... 36 ............0.126 ........... 0.127 ...........0.126........... 0.126 ............. 0.125.............0.001 .............0.800 ................0.127 ..............0.127...................0.128................... 39,156,383 .........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 130,500 ............ 17,255......................11 ............0.134 ........... 0.134 ...........0.130........... 0.132 ............. 0.131 .............0.001 ............. 0.763 ................0.130 ..............0.129................... 0.131 ....................3,960,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 601,942 ............79,525..................... 57 ............0.130 ........... 0.133 ...........0.130........... 0.132 ............. 0.131 .............0.001 ............. 0.763 ................0.131 ...............0.131...................0.132...................38,277,444 .........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .................................................. 13,483 ................7,169......................15 ........... 0.526 ...........0.532 ...........0.526........... 0.532 .............0.528 ........... 0.004............. 0.758 ................0.530..............0.530...................0.534...................27,930,000.........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 868,283 ......... 121,064..................... 29 ............0.141 ........... 0.142 ...........0.138 ............0.139 ............. 0.138.............0.001 ............. 0.725 ................0.139 .............. 0.138...................0.142.................... 8,179,207 ..........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ............................................................... 9,554 ............... 3,785........................5 ........... 0.394 ...........0.400 ...........0.394........... 0.396 .............0.394 ........... 0.002............. 0.508 ................0.400............. 0.400...................0.406 ..................19,800,000.........0.100

Arabtec shares drop Arabtec Holding Co. slumped to the lowest level in more than a month after the United Arab Emirates’ largest publicly traded construction company posted its biggest quarterly loss on record. Arabtec, which helped build the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower in Dubai, dropped 3.5 per cent to 2.46 dirhams, the lowest level since April 9. Dubai’s DFM General Index rose 0.3 per cent. The company reported a first-quarter loss of 279.8 million dirhams ($76 million) after a 137.9 million-dirham profit in the same period last year, as direct costs rose 28 per cent to 1.93 billion dirhams, according to a statement on the Dubai bourse’s website today. Arabtec was at the heart of a selloff last year after Chief Executive Officer Hasan Ismaik resigned and a number of top managers were dismissed in June. Chairman Khadem Al Qubaisi and founder Riad Kamal were excluded from the board. “It’s a reaction to the quarterly numbers, which are affected by mounting costs of projects,” Hisham Khairy, the Dubai-based head of institutional trade at Mena Corp. Financial Services, said by e-mail. “There’s a lot of pressure on the construction sector at the moment and on Arabtec in particular with the top management changes.” Real estate sales in Dubai, which recovered from a worst property slumps during the financial crisis, fell 31 percent in the first four months of 2015 from a year earlier, according to Dubai Land Department data. - United Securities/Bloomberg News

OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 195,473 ............ 45,540..................... 28 ........... 0.236 ...........0.240 ...........0.230........... 0.233 .............0.232 ............0.001 ............. 0.431 ................0.231 ..............0.231...................0.234 ..................46,600,000 ........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................16,000 ...............8,352........................3 ........... 0.522 ...........0.522 ...........0.522........... 0.522 .............0.520 ........... 0.002............. 0.385 ................0.522..............0.522...................0.526.................. 172,715,555 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 3,385,882 ...1,814,308......................61 ........... 0.536 ........... 0.536 ...........0.534........... 0.536 .............0.534 ........... 0.002............. 0.375 ................0.536..............0.534...................0.536................ 1,228,416,912 ......0.100 OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION ................................20,199 .............66,655........................2 ........... 3.290 ...........3.300 ...........3.290........... 3.300 .............3.290 ............0.010 .............0.304 ................3.300..............3.290...................3.400 .................. 32,274,713 .........1.000 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 317,543 ............ 95,283..................... 25 ........... 0.300...........0.302 ...........0.300 .......... 0.300 .............0.300 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.300 .............0.294...................0.300 ..................30,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 115,000............ 35,880........................2 ............0.312 ........... 0.312 ...........0.312 ........... 0.312 .............0.312............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.312 ..............0.312...................0.320 ..................10,474,292 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ......................................7,735 ............... 2,413........................3 ............0.312 ........... 0.312 ...........0.312 ........... 0.312 .............0.312............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.312 ..............0.312...................0.314..................418,301,598 ........0.100 OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD.........................1,492 .................. 722........................1 ........... 0.484 ...........0.484 ...........0.484........... 0.484 .............0.484 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.484..............0.486...................0.490 .................119,257,600 ........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 200,000........... 27,300........................5 ............0.137 ........... 0.137 ...........0.136 ............0.136 ............. 0.136............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.136 .............. 0.136...................0.137 ................. 272,042,539 .......0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY........................................... 450 .................. 952........................1 ............2.115 ........... 2.115............2.115 ........... 2.105 .............2.105............ 0.000.............0.000 ................2.115 .............. 2.115...................2.175 ..................188,818,500 ........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................ 20,044 ...............8,258........................5 ............0.412 ........... 0.412 ...........0.412 ........... 0.412 .............0.412............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.412 ..............0.412...................0.420 .................122,040,037........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING .........................................100 ..................200........................1 ........... 2.000...........2.000 ...........2.000 .......... 2.000 .............2.000 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.000 ............ 0.000...................2.000 ................ 190,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002614............ONIC. HOLDING .............................................................. 1,250 .................. 575........................1 ........... 0.460 ...........0.460 ...........0.460........... 0.460 .............0.460 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.460..............0.460...................0.470................... 79,774,695 .........0.100 OM0000002804 ...........ASAFFA FOODS ...................................................................183 ...................157........................1 ........... 0.860 ...........0.860 ...........0.860........... 0.860 .............0.860 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.860..............0.860...................0.000 ................ 103,200,000 .......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 242,664 .........400,077..................... 34 ............1.650 ........... 1.650 ...........1.640............1.650 ............. 1.650............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.640..............1.640...................1.650................1,237,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA .................................................2,500 .............. 2,090........................1 ........... 0.836 ...........0.836 ...........0.836........... 0.836 .............0.836 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.836..............0.836...................0.840 .................133,760,000........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ........................................................ 500 .....................71........................1 ............0.142 ........... 0.142 ...........0.142........... 0.142 .............0.142 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.142..............0.142...................0.148...................36,009,780 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 511,582 .............92,571......................13 ............0.179 ........... 0.182 ...........0.179 ............0.181 ............. 0.181 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.182 ..............0.182...................0.184................. 260,900,640 .......0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 1,110,244 .......821,581......................18 ............0.740 ........... 0.740 ...........0.740........... 0.740 .............0.740 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.740..............0.740...................0.744..................481,698,730........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH.................................................. 5,580 .............13,392........................4 ........... 2.400...........2.400 ...........2.400 .......... 2.400 .............2.400 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.400 ............ 2.400...................2.440 .................229,097,268........1.000 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................46,686 ...............4,067........................8 ........... 0.087 ...........0.088 ...........0.087........... 0.087 .............0.087 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.088..............0.087...................0.088...................15,225,000 .........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 134,000 ............ 30,151........................7 ........... 0.227 ...........0.227 ...........0.225........... 0.225 .............0.227 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.881................0.225..............0.225...................0.229 ...................4,725,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 200,000............55,255........................3 ........... 0.277 ...........0.277 ...........0.276........... 0.276 .............0.280 ...........-0.004 ........... -1.429 ...............0.276..............0.277...................0.280 .................426,345,079 .......0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 124,460 ............16,887......................17 ............0.144 ........... 0.144 ...........0.135 ............0.136 ............. 0.139............-0.003 ........... -2.158................0.135 ..............0.134...................0.135 ...................12,240,000.........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ........................................70,717 ............ 24,567.....................20 ........... 0.356 ........... 0.356 ...........0.336........... 0.348 .............0.360 ...........-0.012 ........... -3.333 ...............0.336..............0.334...................0.336...................98,168,870 .........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ..................99,399 .............10,934........................1 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.114............-0.004 ........... -3.509 ...............0.110 .............. 0.114................... 0.118 .................. 22,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................24,667 ...............9,849......................11 ........... 0.392 ...........0.400 ...........0.392........... 0.400 .............0.420 ...........-0.020 ........... -4.762 ...............0.396..............0.392...................0.410.................. 24,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER............................................................ 5,001,744 ...1,700,593........................6 ........... 0.340...........0.340 ...........0.338........... 0.340 .............0.370 ...........-0.030 ........... -8.108 ...............0.340..............0.342...................0.368...................75,143,400 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 21,048,078 6,357,136...................730 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......37........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED .......................................... 319,433.............57,498......................12 ............0.180 ........... 0.180 ...........0.180........... 0.180 .............0.180 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.180..............0.180...................0.000 ..................13,860,000 .........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ......................3,000 .................. 120........................1 ........... 0.040...........0.040 ...........0.040 .......... 0.040 .............0.040 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.040 .............0.039...................0.040 ...................3,400,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ...................................................4,000 .............. 2,008........................4 ........... 0.500 ...........0.504 ...........0.500........... 0.502 .............0.502 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.504..............0.500...................0.000 ..................79,065,000.........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .......................................................31,600 ............... 1,703........................7 ........... 0.053 ...........0.054 ...........0.053........... 0.054 .............0.054 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.054..............0.054...................0.055....................6,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................... 53,796 ............... 5,431........................7 ............0.101 ........... 0.102 ...........0.100............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.102.................... 7,596,008 ..........0.100 OM0000002689 ...........OMAN CERAMIC COMPANY ........................................274 ...................135........................1 ........... 0.494 ...........0.494 ...........0.494........... 0.450 .............0.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.494............. 0.000...................0.494 .....................851,488 ............1.000 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA .................................................................. 34,191 ...............2,558........................5 ............0.075 ........... 0.075 ...........0.074........... 0.075 .............0.075 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.075..............0.074...................0.075..................112,500,000........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 446,294............69,453..................... 37 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 7........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS MARKET ........................................................................................................................................................................................ OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ........................ 11,823 ...............1,230........................4 ............0.104 ........... 0.104 ...........0.104........... 0.104 .............0.104 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.104..............0.104...................0.109...................31,485,908 .........0.100 OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ............................................ 8,670 .................. 893........................4 ............0.103 ........... 0.103 ...........0.103........... 0.103 .............0.103............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.103 ..............0.103...................0.110 ....................7,364,500 ..........0.100 OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ............................................. 6,653 .................. 674........................2 ............0.101 ........... 0.103 ...........0.101 ............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.103 ..............0.103...................0.105...................32,283,910 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................... 27,146 ...............2,797..................... 10 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 3........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

CRUDE SUPPLIES

Opec battle for oil market share only just started: IEA LONDON: Opec’s push to defend its share of the global oil market has just begun and the International Energy Agency (IEA) said the group may further increase production, a strategy that caused prices to crash last year. Gulf-based members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) are boosting supplies as they escalate a battle to preserve sales volumes, the IEA said in its monthly market report. While the US shale oil industry appears to have “blinked” in the face of Opec’s move, countries including Russia are coping better than expected with low prices and the agency increased its overall 2015 estimate for nonOpec production. Oil prices have recovered almost 50 per cent in London from a six-year low reached in January as the surge in US shale supplies that triggered a global glut lost momentum. The rebound, com-

bined with reductions in production costs, may give shale producers “a new lease on life,” the IEA said. Opec members, due to meet next month, are more united behind their November decision to maintain rather than cut production, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Ali AlOmair said on Tuesday. Oil recovers “It’s hard to ﬁnd anything for oil bulls to be joyful about in the IEA report, which tells a very comprehensive and indeed very negative story about the oil market,” Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank in Frankfurt, said by e-mail. “The ﬁrst battle has been won by OPEC, but the second will go to shale oil as prices rise above $60 again and producers manage to cut their costs.” Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, climbed 0.9 per cent to $67.43 a barrel in

London for a second day of gains. West Texas Intermediate advanced 1.1 per cent to $61.44. Global crude oil supply was a “staggering” 3.2 million barrels a day higher in April than a year earlier, the IEA said. The agency raised its estimate for non-Opec supply growth in 2015 by 200,000 barrels a day because of “surprisingly strong” output during the ﬁrst quarter from Russia, China, Colombia, Vietnam and Malaysia. NonOpec producers, which account for about 60 per cent of global supplies, will expand output this year by 830,000 a barrels a day to 57.8 million a day. While US crude inventories have declined as production in the country “buckled,” supplies of reﬁned fuels are now building up, the IEA said. US product stocks increased in March, a period when they normally decline, it said. — Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Starcare reaccredited by JCI for quality services The JCI Accreditation Gold Seal is regarded as the highest certiﬁcation of excellence in the ﬁeld of healthcare

tude to the different ministries and associates for the unﬂinching support at all occasions.

MUSCAT: Starcare Hospital has been accredited by Joint Council International (JCI), USA, again for its commitment to quality clinical practices and better patient outcomes, says a press release. “Five days, close to 120 hours, around 1,000 questions, more than 1,000 parameters to meet and we have done it again… A journey that started on May 31, 2011 with a vision to provide quality healthcare triggered the achievement of JCI accreditation within 362 days of operation, a unique record and a benchmark among the many deﬁned by Starcare,” said a hospital spokesperson. “After three years the reaccreditation of Starcare Hospital by JCI (USA), the world’s highest healthcare accreditation body subject to the most elaborate standards and stringent parameters, reiterates our commitment to quality clinical practices and better patient outcomes,” he added. “Each and every one of Starcare members has been instrumental in the achievement and continue to be the torch bearers of the culture of quality and quest for improvement in the medical ﬁeld. I feel privileged to be amongst the team,” remarked Dr Sadik Kodakat, Chairman Starcare Group. The chairman and Board of Directors congratulated the team and also expressed sincere grati-

What is JCI and why JCI? JCI is an international body of healthcare experts working with healthcare organisations, ministries and global organisations in over 80 countries since 1994 with a focus on improving the safety of patient care through the provision of accreditation, certification and educational service. The JCI Accreditation Gold Seal is regarded as the highest certification of excellence in the field of healthcare. The JCI itself is accredited by International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), assurance to the stringent standards, processes and training methodology used by JCI. Measured and quantified on more than thousand eligible elements, the JCI accreditation process scrutinises every aspect of the organisation to the minute detail. The accreditation benefits all stake holders and the industry as such with patients being the biggest beneficiaries in terms of better outcomes while the hospital earns the trust of the patients in return. The staffs at the hospital are benefited by the opportunity to continually improve and update their knowledge. Total quality For Starcare JCI is all about advocating the importance of quality in each and every process both clinical and non clinical. JCI and the ef-

forts of continuous improvement is not a top to down initiative but a 360 degree approach involving all the staff members. “Each day, each patient, each experience has contributed to our learning. On this occasion we reﬂect on our growth from a period of limited facilities in the private sector to this day when the private health sector plays a pivotal role in meeting the healthcare demands of the country. We are glad to be leaders of this change and look forward to continuing the efforts,” remarked Jayan K, vice president Starcare UK. Starcare received appreciation notes from Ministry of Health and also dignitaries from the government, corporate and medical community. “We are proud of Starcare Hospital and the team for this historical achievement and appreciate them for providing the quality healthcare services to the people of Oman.” Affordable healthcare “Going to a hospital can be a daunting task and it’s our job to make it less of a hassle. We strive to achieve such a scenario by employing various means. For one, our specialists perform a high number of speciﬁc procedures, they quickly develop skills that improve quality. We have employed techniques that help us save on the cost without taking its toll on the patient’s bill. “Affordable quality healthcare is no more a myth and we intend to

prove the same. We have systems in place which help us in focusing on proactive care such as early detection/treatment and disease management which can help maintain a healthier population at a lower cost. We believe that early detection and intervention, correct and timely diagnosis, the ability to educate patients in managing their conditions and health are some of the short cuts to reach our focus. This would invariably help us in curtailing cost,” remarked Dr Gowri Sankar medical director and senior physician. Dr Gowri, heading the reaccreditation team, gladly acknowledged the support and encouragement of the patients and medical community over the years. “The very fact that we are a benchmark for clinical quality places a lot of responsibility and it motivates us to achieve more.” Staffed with high calibre, multi lingual medical and support personnel, the hospital is already the preferred choice of the nationals and as well as the expatriate community. With more than 35 specialities, Starcare now offers the complete healthcare solutions and is arguably the best equipped private hospital in Oman. “The employee friendly, professional environment motivated every team member to undertake JCI Accreditation within 12 months as a challenge and their determination, team work and commitment of the management paid off and continued effort on reaccreditation,” added the spokesperson. The hospital has redeﬁned the benchmarks of patient care, treatment and safety in Oman private sector by introducing the latest technologies and surgical facilities like complex joint (knee and hip) replacements, keyhole surgery on joints including shoulder, total body reconstruction, key hole bowel surgeries and Snoring surgery — all in a pleasant and warm environment.

MEGA EVENT

Top companies to present power and water solutions at Oman Energy Expo, Conference MUSCAT: Top international energy and water solutions providers Saudi-based ACWA Power and Finnish company Wartsila are taking part in the ﬁrst Oman Energy and Water Exhibition and Conference as gold sponsors and as exhibitors, organised by Omanexpo in cooperation with the Public Authority for Electricity & Water (PAEW), the regulatory and administrative body of Oman’s utility sector. The event will take place from May 19 to 21 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre, says a press release. Their participation in the pioneer utilities event in Oman is aligned with their initiatives to boost their presence in the Middle East region, increase knowledge and technical base of the country’s workforce, and to provide transmission and distribution support services to Oman’s national grid. ACWA Power is a developer, investor, co-owner and operator of power generation and desalinated water production plants of contracted capacity of 14,800 MW of electricity and 2.37 million m3/ day of desalinated water. It has its headquarters in Saudi Arabia, operating throughout the GCC region, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and Africa. In November 2014, the com-

Oman Energy and Water Exhibition and Conference is an international event dedicated to the power generation, renewable and alternative energy and transmission and distribution, and water-related industries

pany was awarded the 12.5 MIGD Barka Water Expansion Project by Oman Power and Water Procurement (OPWP), the single buyer of power and water for all IPP and IWPP projects within the Sultanate. “The project is in the second phase of expansion, which consists of building a seawater reverse osmosis plant, and will have a capacity of 12.5 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD),” said Eng. Ahmed Al Subhi, CEO of ACWA Power Oman "The additional water capacity resulting from this project will help in meeting Oman’s rising requirement for potable water as well as covering any shortfall in the country’s water desalination production. "ACWA Power’s involvement in the event is to participate in pro-

viding a forum to build awareness regarding power and water technologies. The additional water capacity resulting from this project will help in meeting Oman’s rising requirement for potable water as well as covering any shortfall in the country’s water desalination production.” Wartsila is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the energy and marine sectors, emphasising technological innovation and total efﬁciency. It will be showcasing its innovative products and customised integrated solutions, which boast of their safety, environmental sustainability, efficiency, ﬂexibility and cost-effectiveness, at the exhibition. Currently, Wartsila supplies a 120-MW smart power generation power plant for Oman Oil Com-

LU C K Y D R AW

TSC picks promotion winner MUSCAT: TSC announced the second winner of its Spring Festival lucky draw. The winner of the second 2015 Chervolet Car draw was Abdullah Salim Al Rashdi. During the event Ziad Rayyan from TSC Wholesale Center Al Khoud handed over the keys of the new car to the lucky winner, says a press release. Spring Festival Last month, the retail chain launched its ﬁrst ever Spring Fes-

tival inviting customers to enter into a draw for a chance to win two 2015 Chevrolet Cruze cars upon purchase of OMR10. The draws took place every

Thursday for four consecutive weeks; in the ﬁnal week of the event two lucky names were drawn and awarded 2015 Chevrolet Cruzes.

pany-owned Musandam Power Company in Oman. It has a total of seven plants with 37 engines providing 314 MW. “We trust that Oman Energy & Water will be a great platform for us to showcase our company as the leading global supplier of ﬂexible baseload power plants of up to 600 MW operating on various gaseous and liquid fuels. This is the right channel where we can convey the value that we bring to the industry — from equipment supply to EPC solutions, even ﬁnancial services,” stated Upma Koul, business development manager, Oman. Oman Energy and Water Exhibition and Conference is an international event dedicated to the power generation, renewable and alternative energy and transmission and distribution, and waterrelated industries, and designed to be a platform for stakeholders to discuss real issues and solutions to the energy and water challenges and opportunities in Oman. Its line-up of sponsors include Nama Group (strategic partner), Siemens (lead sponsor), ACWA Power and Wartsila (gold sponsors), Gulf Petrochemical Services & Trdg and Innovation Park Muscat (silver sponsors), Nuhas Oman Cables and Wires and Engie (associate sponsors) and Mitsubishi Corporation (lanyard sponsor).

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Bank Sohar extends support to Labour Day celebration MUSCAT: Bank Sohar, on the occasion of World Labour Day, sponsored a special ceremony organised by the General Federation for Oman Trade Unions (GFOTU) to honour the workers of the Sultanate and recognise their achievements. The event was held recently at the Ministry of Education Theatre under the auspices of Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry and was attended by a number of officials from the government sector and prominent business leaders from the private sector. Representing Bank Sohar were labour union members; Juma Salim Al Riyami, union president and Aiman Abdullah Al Farsi, union vice president. “Since its inception, Bank Sohar has always accorded top priority towards staff care, developing and training and Omanisation. Internally we are also committed towards building a friendly and productive working environment that facilitates growth and career development in the long run. Our support of the GFOTU and its Labour Day celebrations is an extension of this commitment towards the wellbeing of the workforce of the country as a whole,” said Munira

Abdulnabi Macki, DGM of Human Resources and Corporate Support at Bank Sohar. The event began with reading of the Holy Quran and a speech by a representative of the GFOTU. The programme then featured a National Operetta after which honorary gifts were presented to various staff from different sectors for their contribution and achievements. The event concluded with the General Federation Trade Union honouring Bank Sohar together with the other sponsors for their support of the event. “Just as we consider our staff as the main contributors towards our success, it is the workforce from various government and private companies that build each and every one of the facilities we take for granted every day. Their talent and hard work have ensured the continuous development of the country as a whole. As such we are glad to be in a position to support and honour them for their contribution,” concluded Munira Abdulnabi Macki. World Labour Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is a celebration of workers that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on May 1.

THU RSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

ROUND-UP ‘British Fest’ starts at all Lulu hypermarkets The event running through all the Lulu branches in Oman will showcase a wide variety of related products, some exclusive only for the Omani market

MUSCAT: Taking on a more western twist for the thrill of their shoppers, Lulu Oman recently launched the British Fest on May 10. The festival will have Lulu transform itself into a paradise for food lovers with a host of culinary delights from the West. The British Fest was inaugurated by Jon Wilks, British Ambassador to Oman, along with Lulu officials at Lulu Bausher branch, marking the start of two weeks of celebration with the best of food products from Britain. The event running through all the Lulu branches in Oman will showcase a wide variety of related products, some exclusive only for the Omani market, says a press release. Lulu Oman has enjoyed strong ties with the UK market with a steady, continuous import of confectioneries, dairy and frozen food from the country. With the increase in demand for fresh

products from the region, Lulu started the operation of its stringently quality conscious and efﬁcient processing and procurement unit in Birmingham that aids the supply of fresh produce to all their 115 stores. The British Fest is bound to strengthen the bond as Lulu introduces to Oman yet more brands and produce manufactured in the UK. Identifying Britain as a land that has given birth to some of the most popular and preferred brand names, Lulu Oman has taken this initiative to bring in some of the favourites from Britain for their shoppers in Oman. The British Fest will have the racks stacked up with fresh new brands especially from the UK and shoppers can even get a real taste of some of the western delicacies in the food-tasting stalls. Adding on to their line of fresh imports of fruits and vegetables, the fest will also have a wide range of fresh eggs, variety of breads, goat’s milk, plain and ﬂavoured yogurts along with

different types of canned food too. For the interest of the health conscious, the fest will include a variety of diabetic-friendly, gluten free and organic products. Britain, famous for its chocolates, pies and cakes, will bring to the joy of the shoppers a whole assortment of different delights for the sweet-toothed from brands already in stores to completely new names altogether. “Owing to our cultural rich database of shoppers, we strive to bring in the best of products from across the world. The British Fest has received a great response from our customers as always. We have a signiﬁcant amount of expat shoppers from the UK and the excited smiles on their faces seeing products from their home country are simply priceless. For others, there buds the excitement of trying something new,” said Ananth A. V., regional director, LuLu Oman. “Lulu has always done its part to promote goods from all over the world. It has worked in favour for the foreign producers to gain entry

OHB claims ‘Best Bank in Housing Loans’ award MUSCAT: Oman Housing Bank (OHB) recently won the ‘Best Bank in Housing Loans’ award’ at the Arab countries level. The award was received by Adnan Haidar Darwish, general manager of OHB, at the Union of Arab Bankers’ conference held recently in Cairo, Egypt. The conference, held under the slogan “Finance for Development”, was attended by as many as 700 dignitaries including finance ministers and governors of central banks, says a press release. “This award reflects the great role played by OHB in the area of urban development in the Sultanate, and its effective contribution to supporting the efforts exerted by the government to provide decent life for the Omani citizens with special focus on housing as a major personal need,” said Adnan. “OHB plays a pivotal role in providing government-subsidised housing loans for the different segments and categories across the governorates of the Sultanate. The bank has till date contributed to building more than 37,000 houses with a total value exceeding OMR784 million. This paved the way for the bank to win this international award in the field of real estate finance,” he added. He also said that the bank’s expertise in the field of real estate financing under a sustainable development framework which aims to provide housing loans while maintaining the positive financial performance of the bank

Winning such international awards in real estate finance is significant particularly in the light of increasing demand for houses in the Sultanate Adnan Haidar Darwish General manager of OHB

has been recognised by various specialised international institutions and organisations. “Winning such international awards in real estate finance is significant particularly in the light of increasing demand for houses in the Sultanate,” Adnan stated. The bank will continue to perform its commendable role in providing subsidised housing loans, even as striving to achieve all of its stated objectives and goals, and thereby contribute effectively to promoting the economic development of the Sultanate under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, may Allah protect him,” he added.

G R A N D PA R T Y

VIBRANT PERFORMANCES

Salalah International School celebrates annual day in style SALALAH: Salalah International School, the most preferred Cambridge accredited international school in Dhofar region, organised their fifth annual day celebration ‘Panache’ with great exuberance. The event was attended by Majid Omar Al Marhoon, risk control manager, HSBC Bank, Abdul Aziz Omar Al Shanfari, CEO Salalah International School, V. Muralidharan, chairman, Salalah International School, S. Radhakrishnan, principal and other dignitaries, parents and well – wishers. More than 180 students, dressed in colourful attires, staged the celebration with their vibrant performances under the insightful guidance of the dedicated and talented teachers of the school, says a press release. The programme began with the national anthem orchestrated by two young students who enthralled the audience with the soulful rendition of the anthem. This was followed by the recitation from the Holy Quran by the Quran competition winners, Marium Sarah and Said Salim Mohamed Al Gharibi, thus giving an auspicious beginning to the evening. The welcome address was delivered by the faculty members Samah and Divya Arun. The celebration was aligned with various programmes displaying the flamboyant talents of the students of Salalah International School. The recitation of the poem on the return of His Majesty the Sultan - Alowda Al Maeemoona, touched every heart and filled everyone present with a sense of national pride and honour for the Sultan. It was indeed a brilliant way to start the celebration.

into the local market. As for the local buyers, it serves an as excellent chance to try new products which have the highest quality assurance certiﬁed by Lulu,” he added. Lulu Oman has been host to a variety of similar campaigns and each of them have always been a success story due to the ﬂawless arrangements, high quality products and unparalleled customer assistance. With over a hundred stores across Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia, Lulu’s expansion is a proof of their customer’s loyalty, patronage and preference. Lulu has always tried to be a one stop shop for the diverse population of the region with an international mix of products as well as staff of different nationalities. The 600,000 plus shoppers who patronise Lulu daily are the true testament to the popularity of the Lulu brand. Lulu in Oman has since inception, invested heavily on nurturing and developing the local talent pool which has helped the group to achieve the success it enjoys today.

ACCOLADE

The evening witnessed a colourful array of students representing the Oman ﬂag, the symbol of identity and sovereignty, thus rousing the patriotic sentiments of the awestruck audience. It was indeed a treat to the eyes to witness more than 70 students staged on one platform displaying coordination with rhythm and movements. The little ones exhibited an inspirational and thought provoking action song, The Climb, on the theme of having striving perseverance and endurance to withstand and overcome all trials of life. The spirit of soaring high, to reach the beyond, was superbly presented in their performance. A cultural tour Bisat Erriah across the mesmerising and varied culture of the Mediterranean towards the adventurous Gulf was added with rhythmic folk music. There were dances from across the states of the countries. Students beautifully decked up in the traditional costumes displayed their rich cultural heritage. The dance was a worthy successor to the melodious and feet-tapping dance. Principal Radhakrishnan presented the annual report high-

lighting the achievements of the school and the students. The various curricular and co-curricular ventures undertaken by the school during the academic session were highlighted. The ﬁrst batch of students stepping towards the IGCSE examination in the coming academic year is a testimony of the achievement of the school within the short span. He appreciated the teachers and non teaching staff for their hard work to make the school as a member of the Council of International Schools the Netherlands based accreditation agency for international schools. Next was the peppy French dance that cast its inspiring silhouette on the audience. Adorably dressed penguins tapped and danced to the music with grace. The message of Save The Extinction Of Penguins was urged sentimentally in French by the performers. The spectators were triggered by the scintillating performance by the tiny tots. A meaningful presentation – Majd Oman on the digniﬁed scholars of all time from Oman explaining each of their honorary contributions to the society.

Al Injaz holds farewell for outgoing students MUSCAT: The ﬁrst batch of Grade XII students of Al Injaz Private School was given a grand farewell party on May 11, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Dr Sana Al Balushi, director general of the National Career Guidance Center at the Ministry of Education, attended the occasion as the chief guest, says a press release. The students shared their wonderful moments spent at the school with the guests and thanked every teacher. Dr. Sana Al Balushi spoke motivating words for the students and was highly ap-

preciative for the school as she had seen it grow from a kindergarten to a fully-ﬂedged secondary school with the best of facilities. The parents thanked the management and

the teachers for the sincere efforts to groom their children and appreciated the methodologies used by the school to keep up the level of quality education.

AWA R E N E S S C A M PA I G N

Kerala Wing all set to organise road safety seminar on May 17 MUSCAT: Indian Social Club Muscat — Kerala Wing will organise a seminar on Road Safety on May 17, 10 am at Indian Social Club hall at Darsait. The seminar is being conducted for children in association with Oman Road Safety Association (ORSA) with the aid of audio visual presentations and special videos, says a press release.

do not have dedicated transport facilities for students and are dependent on private transport. Organisers said the event will be conducted under the umbrella of Community Welfare Section of Kerala Wing which in the past has organised seminars, oratory sessions and presentations on the issues of humanitarian interest and general public well-being.

Special emphasis The event has a special emphasis now as in the recent past there have been numerous occurrences of traffic accidents and fatalities involving the children of Indian schools whilst the gross student strength in the capital area Indian schools itself has surpassed more than 20,000 and is growing. Apart from their infrastructure woes, Indian schools in Oman

‘Goal-Zero’ The seminar will also focus on attaining the target of ‘Goal-Zero’; synonym towards the ‘goal of zero traffic accidents’ involving a child. The planned event on May 17 will be the beginning of the campaign on road safety organised by ISC Kerala Wing. For the technical collaboration, Kerala Wing has joined hands with Oman Road Safety Associa-

tion which is a pioneering body on road safety with several hours of presentation and awareness sessions to its credit. Further, ORSA possesses volumes of display materials, ﬂysheets, roll ups, video clips and on top of all it has its own miniature traffic island to instigate safety consciousness in children’s minds while on public roads. While the oral presentation is done for adults, the video clips will be streamed for kids with suitable animations to cascade the idea of road safety to young minds and capture their attention. The high-value seminar on road safety is aimed at creating awareness in schools in the capital area which will be extended to all other Indian schools in Oman in due course.

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Bank Sohar honoured by CBO at BDIS celebration We are delighted to be honoured by the Central Bank of Oman in their celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the Bank Deposit Insurance Scheme, said Rashad Ali Al Musaﬁr, acting CEO

MUSCAT: As a member bank of the Bank Deposit Insurance Scheme (BDIS), Bank Sohar recently attended a grand celebration organised by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) in commemoration of the 20-year anniversary of

this scheme, where the bank was honoured and presented with certiﬁcates of appreciation. The event was organised under the patronage of Dr Fuad bin Jaffar Al Sajwani, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, and in the presence of Hamood bin Sangour Al Zadjali, executive president of CBO, in addition to several CBO officials together with CEOs and GMs of the BDIS member banks. Representing Bank Sohar at the event was Rashad Ali Al Musaﬁr, acting CEO, together with senior members of the management team and members of the bank’s Retail Division, says a press release.

“We are delighted to be honoured by the Central Bank of Oman in their celebrations for the 20year anniversary of the scheme. Deposit insurance is one of the key elements that forms a financial safety net for depositors, providing them with reassurance and confidence in the Omani banking sector. As a result, it is a vital tool in promoting the financial stability of the country. Furthermore, maintaining the financial security of our valued customers has always been one of our highest priorities here at Bank Sohar,” said Rashad Ali Al Musafir. The event commenced with Ma-

lik Abdullah Al Mahrouqi, senior manager Banking Development Department and deputy chairman of the BDIS Committee, delivering the welcome address. In his speech, he also expressed his delight on the success of the BDIS campaign in Oman and thanked all the concerned officials for their cooperation. Following the welcome address, the BDIS member banks were honoured and Bank Sohar, represented by Rashad Ali Al Musafir, was honoured and presented with certificates of appreciation and mementos on the occasion. In addition several other officials from the member banks and the CBO were also felicitated in the event for their contribution in spreading awareness about BDIS. Sultanate of Oman was one of the first countries in the region to have adopted a deposit insurance scheme in line with the global trend. Launched early in 1995, the fund commenced activity with a capital of just OMR7.5 million that has grown exponentially over the years, currently standing at OMR93 million.

HIGHER PRODUCTION

Leading Chinese automaker Geely gears up for push into Europe, US

E X PA N S I O N P L A N

Ooredoo opens ﬁrst franchise store in Saham MUSCAT: As part of its plans to be accessible in all areas of the Sultanate, Ooredoo opened its ﬁrst franchise store in Saham, in a strategic partnership with Khimji Ramdas. Inaugurated by Sheikh Ali bin Mansoor Al Busaidi, Wali of Saham, the new store will be managed and operated by Khimji Ramdas in line with Ooredoo’s concept stores, ensuring that customers in Al Batinah continue to enjoy the great customer experience and value added products and services known to Ooredoo, says a press release. “We are ambitious with our plans to extend our reach and provide customers with the service that they deserve. Keeping this in mind, we started to roll out a franchise expansion plan, through which we will be partnering with renowned retail chains to reach more customers across the coun-

try. Our first franchise store in Al Batinah will give our customers in Saham great value, more choice, and allow them to enjoy everything that we have on offer,” said Feras Al Shaikh, Director of Consumer Sales at Ooredoo. “Our partnership with Khimji Ramdas is the beginning of a relationship that will bring exponential benefits to local communities by combining our joint retail expertise, network and commitment to serve the nation,” he added. In addition to being Ooredoo’s first franchise store in Oman, the new outlet is also the company’s 30th overall, contributing to its retail network growth across Oman. The agreement is part of a new phase of franchise expansion plan that will aim to further enhance Ooredoo’s customer reach and will see more stores opening in the future.

M A L AYA L A M W I N G

MUSCAT: Chinese automaker Geely is all set to start producing a small crossover utility vehicle late next year, the first car to be built using a common platform jointly developed with Volvo. The car will hit showrooms in China in early 2017, several European markets a year or so later and eventually the United States. The new car will be based on a common platform called Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) and engine technology that Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has developed with Volvo Cars, the Swedish automaker it bought nearly five years ago, says a press release. The two firms had opened a Research and Development Centre in Gothenburg last year to develop

common small-car platform and powertrain technologies. The scalable CMA platform can be stretched to accommodate bigger midsize cars and will allow Geely to revamp most of its product line-up, including its Emgrand series. It will help Geely plan the kind of bigger models it will need to attract buyers especially in the United States. Zhejiang Geely, which also owns black cab maker London Taxi Company, is also building a new assembly plant in eastern China, which will eventually have the capacity to produce 150,000 CMAbased vehicles a year for both Geely and Volvo. For export to Europe, the new plant’s CMA-based small crosso-

E D UC AT I O N

ver SUV will initially be an alternative-fuel version. In China, Geely plans to sell a gasoline-engine version from early 2017, followed by a couple of alternative fuel variants, such as plug-in hybrids. In doing so, Geely wants to be seen as a maker of affordable hi-tech cars that have the most impressive performance, good looks and safety features. A senior spokesperson of Towell Auto Centre, the sole distributors of Geely range of vehicles in Oman comments: “Over the past decade, Geely has become a leading Chinese automotive manufacturer with a strong global presence, thanks to its entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to innovation and manufacturing efficiency. The state

of art features in its vehicles and their performance is the reason for its popularity. From the design concept to the manufacturing, all Geely models are developed in accordance with European standards by European and Chinese designers. The sales of Geely cars have been rising globally. In Oman too, its good sales come from the outstanding performance of the product.” By bringing the Geely range to the Sultanate, TAC has reinforced its commitment to provide highquality products and services to its customers in Oman. With a network of 11 showrooms, 13 service outlets and 10 parts outlets spread across Oman, TAC is one of the leading automobile distributors in the region.

ISC blood donation campaign tomorrow MUSCAT: Malayalam Wing of Indian Social Club (ISC) is organising a blood donation campaign tomorrow from 9am to 1:30pm on Indian Social Club premises, Darsait, in association with the Blood Bank, Ministry of Health, says a press release. “We have a special place in the records of Oman Blood Bank and we are determined and committed to retain this name in future as well. We value humans and

would strive to extend maximum possible help and support to the humanity through our social welfare activities,” said G. K. Karnavar, Convener. On this occasion, a free medical camp is also organised with the generous support from Atlas Hospital. Those who are interested to donate blood voluntarily may report directly to the venue or contact Social Welfare Wing on 95910010 for further details.

NEW LOGO

Al Shomoukh School Dar Al Khaboura launches its commercial identity set to open on May 23 MUSCAT: Muscat’s newest international private school, Al Shomoukh, will open its doors to the public on May 23. Those interested are invited to visit and tour the school with guides between 9:30am and 5:00pm as well as have an opportunity to interact with the academic and administration staff and put their queries to them, if any. There will be two short information sessions – one at 10am and another at 2pm where a brief on the school, staff and curriculum will be shared and questions will be answered. Visitors will also have access to brochures and informative material. Located in South Al Hail, the school will start its ﬁrst semester on August 30 and is currently accepting enrolments, says a press release. “We hope that many parents and members of the public will take this opportunity to see the facilities and get to know more about the school,” said Michael Bradley, the school’s education

consultant. The aim of the school is to empower the students with necessary skills to meet the demands of international standards through innovative teaching methods. He is conﬁdent that the school will provide meaningful and rewarding learning experiences that will remain with the children forever. Al Shomoukh International School is based on the highly regarded International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum to which it will seek accreditation over time.

MUSCAT: Dar Al Khaboura for Silver Crafting, one of the leading members of Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC), launched its logo and corporate identity designed and created in close collaboration with Zubair SEC. Dar Al Khaboura prides itself in being specialised in designing Omani daggers, swords and other various types of silver craft, professionally created to combine the originality of the past and novelty of the present. The logo launching event was attended by representatives of Dar Al Khaboura, the Zubair Corporation, and Zubair SEC, in addition to a number of Nizwa College of Technology Students who visited the Centre to get introduced to its services and to one of the success stories of its members, says a press release. As a small enterprise, Dar AlKhaboura emanated from the traditional silver crafting profession well known in Al Khaboura Wilayat itself. Mahfoutha Ahmed Al Baloushiyah, the business owner of Dar Al Khaboura and member of Zubair SEC, effectively beneﬁted

from the advisory services and expertise extended to her by the centre. This affiliation resulted in her winning of Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme for 2015 which rewards outstanding small enterprises and entrepreneurs that get assessed according to speciﬁc criteria considering the type of business or idea, seriousness and commitment of the owner and ambition to accomplish success. “In the beginning I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to Zubair SEC for all the assistance provided and professional work environment made available to us to be successful entrepreneurs. I feel great joy in witnessing the launch of my business logo and corporate identity that will be the interface

for the company and its line of business and what it stands for,” said Mahfoutha Ahmed Al Baloushiyah. “I used two distinctive symbols in the logo, broadly recognised in the Omani silver craft industry; the Omani dagger and the silver ring or coin. The dagger is rooted in the history of the Arabian man in general, and Omanis in speciﬁc, and the silver coin refers to communities’ economic prosperity. Silver also refers to the status of women and their social and economic status in society. My selection of those two symbols aims to combine male and female interests in silverware as targeted customers. The colours used in the logo, silver and gold, on the other hand, are dominant colours in

various silverware products of Dar Al Khaboura and reflect the traditional designs of daggers, swords and canes,” she added. “The project of creating Dar Al Khaboura logo reflects a collaboration of joint effort between specialists in marketing and branding at The Zubair Corporation and the team of SEC. All parties worked with Mahfoutha to formulate an idea and philosophy interpreted in the new brand to reflect the work field and mission of Dar Al Khaboura in best form possible. We also sought through the new business identity of Dar Al Khaboura to move from mere traditional craft works to branded products that can be well marketed locally and regionally in line with the marketing plan set for the business. She also added: “This extended support by the cadres of the Zubair Corporation to members of Zubair SEC is one of the many privileges that committed and dedicated members receive to help them in achieving their desired objectives,” stated Lina Hussein, communications manager at Zubair SEC.

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

ROUND-UP

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Bank Sohar receives coveted STP award The latest award is in appreciation of the fact that 100% of the MT103 messages in EUR payments sent by Bank Sohar were error-free

MUSCAT: Bank Sohar has been recognised as one of the best ‘Straight Through Processing’ (STP) banks in Oman by Commerzbank AG, a Frankfurt based global banking and ﬁnancial services company in Germany. The 2015 STP award marks the ﬁfth year in a row that Bank Sohar has received this recognition, says a press release. The latest award is in appreciation of the fact that 100% of the MT103 messages in EUR payments sent by Bank Sohar were error-free. This translates into faster remittances and settlements for

Bank Sohar’s valued clientele, and practically eliminates the need to send time consuming inquiries on the transfer status of payments. Rashad Ali Al Musaﬁr, Acting CEO of Bank Sohar, commented on this achievement: “We are delighted to have received this award from Commerzbank. It is a clear recognition of the excellent STP rates we have maintained in the diligent processing of payments during the previous period. “The importance of a smooth and error free banking system has always been integrated within our day to day operations to help enhance efficiency and reduce costs, as well as to ensure the timely execution of payments. “In addition, we see STP as a

key element of customer service; ensuring fast, accurate and reliable execution of payment instructions ensuring the bank’s operational excellence mirrors the expectations of our clients, whilst reinforcing our position as one of the best STP banks within the Sultanate” On receiving the award, Khalfan Rashid Al Taley, DGM and head of operations at Bank Sohar commented, “This award reinforces our commitment of service excellence to our customers as we continue to strengthen our retail and commercial banking business in the country. “We would like to thank Commerzbank for once again honouring us with this prestigious award.

We remain committed towards repeating our error free rates in 2015 as we continue to deliver innovative products and services to better serve our customers.” This award marks the fifth award recognition for the bank in 2015, having won the ‘Best Banking Performance’ Award at the fourth edition of the Al Roya Economic Award, the ‘Golden Order of Merit in the field of CSR’ Award from UAE based Excellence Awards Academy, the best ‘Straight Through Processing’ (STP) banks in Oman by Standard Chartered Bank and winning the ‘Best Enterprise Award’ in the fields of quality and management from the Europe Business Assembly based in the UK earlier this year.

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INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Meethaq business forum in Nizwa to highlight ‘sukuk’ MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, is hosting a business forum in Nizwa on May 19 under the auspices of Dr Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamed Al Saadi, Governor of Dakhiliyah, to highlight investment opportunities from Islamic bonds or sukuk. Innovative Islamic banking products and services offered by Meethaq will also be spotlighted at the forum to be addressed by prominent Shari’a experts, says a press release. “Meethaq is proud to host the business forum as part of initiatives reflecting the bank’s commitment to responsible banking aimed at contributing to the country’s development. Meethaq has taken the lead to engage people at all levels in order to familiarise them with the fundamentals of Islamic banking and finance. Against the backdrop of Oman’s strategic development initiatives as part of the economic diversification programme, new possibilities exist for Islamic banking and finance vis-à-vis the investment opportunities in Oman. The seminar reiterates Meethaq’s commitment to develop a ro-

bust Islamic banking industry in Oman, offering attractive investment facilities, including sukuk, in a manner consistent with the principles of Shari’a law and serving the interests of community and business,” said Sulaiman Al Harthy, group general manager – Islamic Banking. During the 2014 annual AGM/ EGM Bank Muscat shareholders granted approval for the setting up of OMR500 million Meethaq Sukuk Programme. The proposed issuance of sukuk, subject to regulatory approvals, will be in various tranches, either in Omani riyal or US dollar, in the domestic and international markets through public subscription or private placement within 5 years from the approval by shareholders. Meethaq strives to fulfil the needs of customers with innovative Shari’a based products and is well positioned to provide Islamic financial expertise to diverse segments and thereby promote the good of society as a whole. Meethaq has adopted the best practices in Islamic banking and finance worldwide to combine a robust model which protects customers and complements the Islamic banking industry.

YOUNG LEADERS

Indian School Al Seeb organises investiture ceremony MUSCAT: Indian School Al Seeb (ISAS) organised the investiture ceremony for young, budding students recently in the school premises. The event was attended by Samar Bose, sports chairman of the School Management Committee, the principal, vice principal, various heads of the departments and the staff, says a press release. The programme started with a welcome address.

The oath taking was perfected by the Principal, Nagesh Kelkar and children followed it meticulously. The sports chairman, principal, vice principal and the heads of the department awarded the badges to the students. The school choir rendered a patriotic song. Premlata, the Primary Section HoD, led the prayer. T. Chandravati Vishnu, vice principal, congratulated the

students on their selection. She urged them to be a role model to others. She emphasised the ten important golden rules like, self-discipline, punctuality, obedience etc, which will help to foster and mould them into ﬁnest students and citizens, leading to their future achievements being written in golden letters. The programme ended with the national anthem.

A L L - T I M E FAV O U R I T E S

Powerful Toyota pick-ups — your dependable companions

MUSCAT: Toyota pick-ups are the all-time favourites in Oman. Be it the Land Cruiser pick-up or the Hilux, the name is enough to inspire conﬁdence. Superior Toyota technology builds in quality, dependability and value for money, says a press release. Built to handle any task, Toyota Land Cruiser pickup is the vehicle of choice for those who wish to successfully take on demanding conditions. The Land Cruiser pick-up looks impressive and is more than just a good–looker. Built to last, it offers legendary quality, reliability and durability. It also offers a host of attractive features that include classy silver colour garnish on the AC vents, front fog-lamps, power windows, outside temperature display, keyless entry, Bluetooth kit, door locks, chrome outer mirrors, 7” navigation system with DVD player, AUX and USB. Also available are daytime running lights (DRL), wood grain paneling [instrument], wood/leather steering wheel, driver airbag, chrome outer mirrors and much more. Land Cruiser pick-up is a parttime 4WD with easy switching between 4WD and 2WD mode. It is powered by a mighty 4.0L, V6, VVT-i engine generating 228 HP. The secret behind Land Cruiser pick-up’s superb rough terrain capabilities is its sturdy yet ﬂex-

ible suspension that’s backed by a wide wheelbase. The suspension features coil springs in front and heavy duty leaf springs in the rear — leading to a comfortable ride and ample load support. With ruggedness that perfectly matches its all-terrain performance, the Hilux has carved out a niche for itself. “It is easy to own, easy to run and easy to resell — even after years of rough use,” remarked an enthusiast about his Toyota pick-up. The Hilux product bouquet comprises a model range that represents a mix of many features and speciﬁcations, for various functional needs. These include ‘single cab’, ‘double cab’ and ‘4x4’ versions. Attractive additions in the models include an Audio System with USB, AUX Port and Bluetooth. A trendy side stripe make the Hilux even better looking. Stepping inside, one is greeted by the stylish interior dashboard and the modern 3–Eye Combination Meter. They allow for excellent visibility and clear display of critical information - communicating the driving status, at a glance. The plush interior, cabin sound damping measures and thoughtful features enhance its luxurious feel. The convenience of a Keyless Entry System adds a new dimension to the entire experience. The slide type rear

window ensures easy access to the deck area from the cabin and improves ventilation. A unique combination of advanced Toyota technologies contribute to the Hilux’s robust strength and reassuring power which enables it to easily handle challenging landscape and conditions. The Hilux single and double cab is available in both 4 X 2 and 4 X 4 options with a choice of three engines, 2.0 & 2.7 litre petrol & 2.5 litre diesel variants. The Hilux engine is powered with VVT-i technology offering solid power, together with exceptional fuel efficiency. Further, the double cab 2WD & 4WD versions are available with automatic transmission also. The double-wishbone independent front suspension helps assist precise handling and superior ride comfort. At the rear, the leaf spring suspension provides the load bearing capacity essential in a pick-up. A large capacity fuel tank gives a reassuring range for long distances. Hilux is equipped with a range of active and passive safety features as standard, offering a high level of safety for a vehicle in its class. The Toyota impact absorbing body structure with the crumple zone cabin helps to protect occupants by minimizing deformation of the passenger compartment.

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SECTION

SPOR YOUR GAME

ANGRY PIETERSEN RAILS AT ‘DECEITFUL’ ENGLAND

An extraordinary week in Kevin Pietersen’s turbulent career will end with him ﬂying back to India to play in the IPL feeling betrayed by what he described as “deceitful” behaviour by the England management. >C3

Pep backing Barca to win Berlin final Guardiola’s Bayern

Messi is best player of all time: Guardiola

exited at the last-four stage for the second year running, despite ending Barcelona’s 18-game unbeaten run with a 3-2 semiﬁnal, second-leg win in Munich

MUNICH: Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is now backing his ex-club Barcelona to win the Champions League after his Bavarian giants bowed out 5-3 on aggregate in the semifinals. Guardiola’s Bayern exited at the last-four stage for the second year running, despite ending Barcelona’s 18-game unbeaten run with a 3-2 semi-final, second-leg win in Munich. Bayern were given an early glimmer of hope in their bid to overturn a three-goal deficit in Munich when the unmarked Medhi Benatia headed home on seven minutes at the Allianz Arena. But Barca effectively booked their place in the Berlin final on June 6 when Luis Suarez twice set up Neymar to score for the visitors before half an hour had been played. Bayern produced a rousing second-half performance with goals by Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller, but Barcelona advance to face either bitter rivals Real Madrid or Juventus in the final. Having won 16 titles as a player, then a further 14 in four years as head coach at the Camp Nou, Guardiola is backing Barcelona to claim their first European crown since 2011 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on June 6. “I want to congratulate my players, I am really happy to be their manager on a day like today,” said Guardiola, as Bayern denied Barcelona a first win in Munich at the fifth attempt. BIG HOPE

Pique eyes ‘historic’ Madrid ﬁnal

Gerard Pique.

MADRID: Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has welcomed the prospect of facing eternal rivals Real Madrid for the first time in a Champions League final in Berlin early next month. The Catalans sealed their place in a fourth final in 10 years. “A final against Madrid would be very exciting and historic,” said the Spanish international. Barca are not just on the verge of their fifth European Cup, but are three matches away from just the second treble in the club’s history. Luis Enrique’s men will seal La Liga with win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday and also host Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on May 30. “It is a great state to be in a fourth final of the Champions League in 10 years. During these years our era has been defined by results and I am very happy to have been part of these years.” - AFP

MUNICH: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is the best player ever, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday after the Spanish side eliminated the Bavarians 5-3 on aggregate to reach next month’s Champions League final. “He is the best player of all time,” Guardiola said. “I compare him with Pele. I am so happy to see this football.” Messi, who is enjoying a sensational season and has scored 10 goals in Europe’s elite competition alone, destroyed Bayern in Barca’s 3-0 first-leg win after scoring twice last week. The diminutive Argentine was again instrumental as Barcelona eased into the European Cup final for an eighth time. “He is back, he is there where I had the privilege to train him,” Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League with the 27-year-old in his four years at Barca between 2008-2012, told reporters. “He is definitely back at his best.” Messi, who last made the final under Guardiola in 2011 when they Barca won it, has also scored 40 goals in La Liga this season as the Spanish side chase a treble of titles.

“But I hope Barcelona can now win their ﬁfth Champions League title in Berlin. You can only beat Barcelona when you take the ball away from them, with it they are so strong. We didn’t make the most of our chances in the ﬁrst leg, but here we did. It wasn’t enough at the end of the day, but there you go. “I hope the Spanish league has the rights to be screened in Germany soon, so that fans here can appreciate what a good player Lionel Messi is on a regular basis. “He was a pleasure to coach when I was at Barcelona and he has demonstrated yet again what

Lionel Messi

Messi’s role on Tuesday was less of an executioner and more of an orchestrator as he fell deeper allowing Neymar and Luis Suarez to receive his pin-point passes. Extremely strong “When Barca have the ball they are extremely strong. I hope in Berlin they can win the ﬁfth European Cup,” said former Barcelona player Guardiola, who has failed to reach the ﬁnal with Bayern in his two

he can do.” The win over Barcelona ended Bayern’s four-match losing streak since winning the German league title for the 25th time a fortnight ago. “We won four titles last season, this year we have just one, but it has been a tough season with lots of injuries and despite that, my players still attacked at every opportunity,” enthused Guardiola. Bayern’s come-back win demonstrated how much they wanted to reach an 11th European Cup ﬁnal, but it was too little, too late, after their emphatic ﬁrst-leg defeat. “We believed in the miracle, but

seasons in charge. “We tried everything. But we had a lot of problems (with injuries) and when you play with so many problems for two months and the players keep charging forward then the team deserves a big compliment.” Bayern were without wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery plus defenders David Alaba and Holger Badstuber but, despite a 2-1 deficit in the first half, they dug deep to score twice and avoid a first home loss in the competition this season. Nevertheless, elimination means Bayern will end the season with one title — the Bundesliga. “The Bayern players sometimes do not know how good they are. Now I want to celebrate our title, go on holiday and hopefully we can play better next season,” Pep Guardiola said. “We had a lot of problems and it was good to try to overcome these problems and I think we did not give up. “It is more important what we did this year compared to last (when Bayern won the double). But a big team must fall this way. It must fall the way we lost today.” - Reuters

we couldn’t make it happen,” said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm. “It’s impossible to stop those Barcelona players for the whole 90 minutes. We didn’t lose it today, but in the first leg.” Goal-scorer Mueller was a constant threat to the Barcelona defence and made good on his prematch promise that Bayern would fight until the final whistle. “We played a really great game in the first half but we’ve made two mistakes in defence and have been too wasteful with our chances,” said Mueller. That’s very annoying.” - AFP

You can only beat Barcelona when you take the ball away from them, with it they are so strong. I hope Barcelona can now win their fifth Champions League title in Berlin Pep Guardiola

Bayern Munich coach

THE POWER

Barca’s ‘MSN’ attacking trio in unstoppable form MADRID: Messi to Suarez to Neymar, goal. Messi to Suarez to Neymar, goal. That devastating and increasingly familiar combination served up by Barcelona’s attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar fired the Catalan giants past Bayern Munich into the Champions League final on Tuesday. Although Barca lost the semi-final, second leg at the Allianz Arena 3-2, last week’s 3-0 victory in the first leg at the Nou Camp, with two goals from Messi and one from Neymar, meant they progressed comfortably through to the June 6 showpiece in Berlin 5-3 on aggregate. Tuesday’s match was the latest masterclass from the South American trio, known in Spain as ‘MSN’, whose goals have put Barca on the brink of repeating 2009’s treble of Champions League and Spanish league and Cup triumphs, the only time a La Liga club have achieved the feat. After Bayern took an early lead, MSN, who are playing together for the first time this season following the arrival of Suarez from Liverpool, made their decisive contribution in the space of less than 15 minutes. Argentina captain Messi sent a pinpoint pass behind the defence for Uruguay striker Suarez, who glanced up to his left and laid the ball across for Neymar of Brazil to sidefoot past stranded goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Barca went 2-1 ahead when Messi flicked the ball into space for Suarez with his head, who again picked out Neymar to his left, be-

POWERFUL TRIO: Neymar celebrates with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi after scoring the second goal for Barcelona against Bayern Munich in yesterday’s Champions League semiﬁnal. – Reuters

fore the Brazilian controlled with his chest and clipped a shot just inside the post. It took Neymar’s Champions League tally for the season to nine, one behind top scorer Messi, while Suarez has six. They have a club-record 114

goals between them in all competitions, while Messi has also provided a jaw-dropping 27 assists, with Suarez making 16 and Neymar six. Barca have surely assembled one of the most fearsome forward lines in history and with Suarez

the oldest at 28, Messi aged 27 and Neymar 23 they could be rattling in more than 100 goals a season for several years to come. “We don’t need to talk about the trio’s qualities,” Barca coach Luis Enrique, whose side will play hold-

ers Real Madrid or Juventus in the final, told a news conference. “They have a solidarity and it is extremely difficult to control them,” added the former Barca and Spain midfielder, in his first season in charge at the club. - Reuters

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

SPORTS

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C O M M E N TA RY

Must win game for Mumbai

he defending champions Kolkata are on a roll. They seem to have got their winning combination, though, of course, we all know that in the T20 format a couple of deliveries can turn a game on its head. Their batting is based on getting off to a good start and then having a flexible batting order depending on the kind of start that skipper Gambhir and Robin Uthappa have provided them. So if the openers have given them a good start, then Andre Russell, who can power the ball miles away like the other two big West Indians, Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, comes in early and with his big hitting takes the game away from the opposition. Yusuf Pathan and Suryakumar Yadav provide the pyrotechnics that make a mockery of a bowlers’ line and length and the score gallops along merrily. It is in the bowling department that they have changed the rules of the game by using four spinners. Piyush Chawla has been superb and has picked wickets regularly and stopped the opposition from getting away. Brad Hogg has spun a web, and even Indian batsmen who play spin day in, day out have not always been able to spot the wrong one and have got stranded down the pitch. His infectious attitude to the job adds a positivity to the team, and you can see that his success is enjoyed by all his teammates. The underrated off spin of Yusuf Pathan also picks up wickets for the team at regular intervals One of the most heartwarming sights has been to see the good use of the yorkers in the slog overs by Indian bowlers. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been outstanding in its use, Umesh Yadav, Sandeep Sharma, Anureet Singh have also bowled it to great effect. This augurs well for India because earlier the confidence to bowl it seemed to be lacking in the Indian seamers. For Mumbai Indians, it is a must win game. Their tactics against the Royal Challengers were baffling to say the least. To ignore a world class spinner like Harbhajan Singh and give the final overs to a rookie medium pace up and downer was suicidal as it turned out. Their fielding also was the

CRUCIAL MATCH: Mumbai Indians will have to pull up their socks to keep their play-off hopes alive. – BCCI

It’s do-or-die match for Mumbai against KKR Mumbai Indians tactics against the Royal Challengers were baffling to say the least. To ignore a world class spinner like Harbhajan Singh and give the final overs to a rookie medium pace up and downer was suicidal as it turned out

pits that day and then they compounded those errors by once again holding back the in-form Ambati Rayudu and sending some one hit sloggers ahead of him. They need to be at their absolute best against the defending champions to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the knockouts. — PMG

Mumbai Indians are currently sixth in the Indian Premier League with 12 points from as many games

MUMBAI: Their juggernaut having come to a halt against the batting might of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians face a virtual make-or-break situation when they take on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League cricket here on Thursday. The loss here last Sunday to RCB, after a superb ﬁve-game winning streak, has come at the wrong time. But MI would be seeking inspiration from their overall 10-5 win-loss record against KKR who, however, won their previous season-opening clash on April 8 by seven wickets. MI would have loved to go into the tough battle with their tails up instead of licking their wounds inﬂicted by the brutal assault on

their bowling attack by AB de Villiers who smashed 133 not out off just 59 balls. Having just 12 points in their kitty with Thursday’s last home game at the Wankhede Stadium followed by their concluding away match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 17 in hand, MI have very little margin of error to play with. MI need to pull up their socks and put behind the humiliating 39-run loss to RCB in their home bastion when they take on the formidable Knight Riders who go into the game placed second on the table. They may, however, not be entirely without a chance of making a play-off berth even if they lose against the Knight Riders, who are on a three-game winning roll. But then their progress would not be in their own hands. On the other hand a victory would not only help the Kolkata franchise bounce back into the pole position currently occupied by the Chennai Super Kings, but would also make it 2 out of 2 in their clashes with MI this season. MI’s bowlers were given a hiding by de Villiers and RCB skipper Virat Kohli. With Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya both having conceded over 50 runs, one of them is bound to be replaced, if not both.

R Vinay Kumar has been in and out of playing XI like the wayward Bumrah but, strangely, MI have not given a single chance to the experienced Karnataka pacer Abhimanyu Mithun so far. The only bright spot in MI’s bowling effort against RCB, on a fantastic batting strip, was by Lasith Malinga. They would be hoping that their spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Jagadeesha Suchith - who too were punished by de Villiers and Kolhi - come back stronger. In batting, MI should be pleased with the consistent form shown by opener Lendl Simmons who top scored with 68 in the unsuccessful chase of the huge target of 236 against RCB after plucking a great catch to send back Chris Gayle. Simmons’ partnership with another West Indian, Kieron Pollard (49), was another bright spot in their dismal loss on a day when their catching too let them down. Knight Riders, on the other hand, know that a win over MI would guarantee them not only a play-off spot but also give a strong push to ﬁnish in the top two, which is what they would be aiming for. Successive victories over Sunrisers, Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab have given the Gautam Gambhir-led team the timely momentum to take on the might of MI. The title holders have the ideal mix of attack-

ing top order batsmen - Gambhir (288 runs from 11 games), Robin Uthappa (325 runs from 11) and Manish Pandey (203 from 11) -with all-rounders Yusuf Pathan and Andre Russell to follow. In bowling, they depend mainly on Umesh Yadav’s pace that has fetched him nine wickets in 10 games at a costly 34.33 per victim, Russell’s abilities (11 wickets from 11 games at 23.18 per wicket), as well as the slow bowling skills of Piyush Chawla (11 wickets from1 11 games), West Indian Sunil Narine and Australian Brad Hogg to stifle the batsmen in the middle overs. Morne Morkel is around too as a good option for utilising the extra bounce that the Wankhede track offers. The gangling South African pacer has been miserly, too, giving away just over 15 runs for each of the six wickets taken in the five games he has figured in. Notwithstanding a win or a loss tomorrow, Knight Riders are to stay on in Mumbai for their last league clash against Rajasthan Royals at the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium on May 16. The title holders would be much more relaxed in their outlook, considering their standing in the league table, as compared to the hosts who will be under a lot of pressure to perform or perish. - PTI

FIND OF THE TOURNAMENT

Shreyas credits Ranji experience RAIPUR: Fresh from his matchwinning exploits against tabletoppers Chennai Super Kings, DD opener Shreyas Iyer has said that his Ranji experience has acted as a conﬁdence booster for him in the Indian Premier League cricket tournament. Iyer, who plays for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy, smashed an unbeaten 70 runs to back up an excellent bowling show by Delhi Daredevils, which earned them a six-wicket victory against CSK in a lowscoring encounter at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, here on Tuesday. Iyer, who has accumulated 419 runs in 13 matches for DD, has stood out with his batting talent in season 8 of the cash-rich league and the youngster credits his Ranji stint for his success in the shorter format. “I got a lot of conﬁdence playing Ranji Trophy. I had never thought that I will score

this much in the first season (of IPL). I am carrying forward that confidence which is helping me very much here,” the 20-year-old cricketer said at the post-match conference. “To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about how people will look at me in the IPL season. But as the tournament progressed and I went good, I realised I should continue till the end. Unfortunately, we have not qualified, so I had decided to finish it off well. I don’t think much about the future, just stick to the presence,” he added. The Mumbai-based righthanded batsman said his team focused on the basics in yesterday’s match against CSK and didn’t try to put in an extra effort. “I believe, we focused much on the process and didn’t try to do extra. We were stick to the basics and eventually batting, bowling went well and even the fielding was good. So, we

deserved victory,” he said. He added that his team was not under pressure against the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side, and after failing to make the play-offs they just wanted to ﬁnish on a high. “Two matches are left for us in the tournament. If we would win those two, we’ll feel good and the franchise will also feel nice. Besides, it will also boost the morale of the team for next year,” he said. On sharing the dressing room with senior players, Iyer said, “It’s a great learning experience to be with the seniors. I was on the wicket with Yuvi Pa (Yuvraj Singh), he gave me good tips...He told me to take match till the end. Zaheer Pa (Zaheer Khan) and JP (Jean-Paul Duminy) also give good advice.” CSK Coach Stephen Fleming appreciated the bowling performance of Delhi Daredevils , saying the opposition bowling line-up restricted them to a low score. — PTI

Shreyas Iyer. — BCCI

T H U R S DAY, MAY 14, 2 0 1 5

SPORTS IPL

Kings XI beat RCB by 22 runs in rain-hit match MOHALI: Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 22 runs in a 10-over contest at the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Wednesday night. The match was reduced to 10 overs per side due to rain. KXIP posted 106 for six in 10 overs and then restricted RCB to 84 for six in their quota of overs. Earlier, Wriddhiman Saha’s entertaining knock at the top of the order helped KXIP post 106 for six. Make-shift opener Saha (31 runs off 12 balls) launched an all-out attack from ball one before quickfire innings from David Miller (14 off 4) and Axar Patel (20 not out off 15) took Kings XI to a competitive total. The game, supposed to start at 8 pm, began two hours and 45 minutes late with Royal Challengers putting Kings XI in to bat on a green surface. Saha, replacing Murali Vijay at the top, got the hosts off to a cracking start much to the joy of fans who waited hours for the action to begin. Saha, opening alongside Manan Vohra, smashed Mitchell Starc for two fours in the opening over of the innings before hammering another leftarm pacer Sreenath Aravind in an over that went for 20 runs. At 34 for no loss, Kings XI were off to a flier in a shortened contest. The Bengal batsman was caught at mid on by Mandeep Singh off the first ball bowled by medium pacer David Wiese, but his cameo was enough to give Kings XI a much needed impetus early on. However, Harshal Patel (2/12) removed Vohra (11) and Glenn Maxwell (10) in in the fifth over to peg back the home side at 54 for three. The exhilarating pace of the innings was seen all through out with batsmen getting out regularly after hitting some lusty blows. Same was the case for David Miller (14), who departed after smacking leggie Yuzvendra Chahal (2/25) for two consecutive sixes down the ground. The regular loss of wickets in a 10-over innings eventually did not affect the tempo of the innings as Kings XI set up a challenging target. Brief scores: Kings XI unjab 106 for 6 (Saha 31, Harshal 2/12) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 84 for 6 (Axar 2/11, Anureet 2/21). - Agencies

Whatmore confident of successful Pakistan tour Zimbabwe will be the ﬁrst country to tour

I would never put anybody else in an unsafe environment. I understand the significance of this tour to Pakistan and I’m very happy to go

Pakistan since a gun attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 left seven players injured and six policemen plus two civilians dead

CAPE TOWN: Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore expects their tour of Pakistan later this month to be a “tremendous success” and said he would not travel if he thought lives were in danger. Zimbabwe will be the ﬁrst country to tour Pakistan since a gun attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 left seven players injured and six policemen plus two civilians dead. The team leave on Sunday to play two T20 matches, starting on May 22, and a three-match oneday International series that begins four days later. “I’m fully behind the tour and I believe it’s going to be a tremendous success,” Sri Lankan-born Whatmore, who coached Pakistan for two years from 2012, told Reuters via telephone from Harare. “I understand others feel dif-

Dav Whatmore Zimbabwe coach

ferently, but I would never put anybody else in an unsafe environment. I understand the signiﬁcance of this tour to Pakistan and I’m very happy to go. “To have a full member nation play international cricket in Lahore and the state of Punjab is hugely important for Pakistan and transcends cricket.” A delegation including Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Alistair Campbell travelled to Lahore last week and was satisﬁed with the security measures to be put in place by local authorities. The Zimbabwe squad announced on Tuesday sees the return of a number of experienced

players. Aggressive middle-order batsman Charles Coventry returns after four years away from the team, having turned down the opportunity to participate at the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup. Leg-spinner Graeme Cremer quit cricket for golf last year but is now back with ball in hand having failed to further his career with the clubs, while there is a ﬁrst selection for batting all-rounder Roy Kaia. Huge blow “All these boys have been brought in because of their performances. Kaia was the top run scorer in the domestic Pro50 competition and had an average of 70,” Whatmore

Zimbabwe after his short-term deal lapsed at the end of the World Cup. He is excited by the potential he sees in Zimbabwe cricket and his short-term target is to help improve their ODI ranking. “I really think it’s a challenge, a different type of challenge to most places,” the former Australia batsman said. “Zimbabwe are ranked at number 11 in ODI cricket and that is unacceptable and something that has to change. “But there is real potential here to move ahead, I would not have signed on if I did not believe that. But it is something that needs time.” - Reuters

NEWSMAKER

KP makes front and back pages after England snub LONDON: Kevin Pietersen dominated the front and back pages of Britain’s newspapers on Wednesday with many sympathising with the controversial batsman whose England comeback bid has been thwarted by new cricket director Andrew Strauss. The ﬂamboyant South African-born right-hander, who hit a career-best 355 not out for Surrey at The Oval on Tuesday, has said the snub has left him “absolutely devastated”. His former captain Strauss, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s new director of cricket, said there was a “massive distrust” between them but Pietersen had not been banned. The Guardian’s front page was dominated by a huge photograph

of the maverick batsman under the headline “Kevin Pietersen 355 not out. Except he is.” The Sun’s back page had the headline “Traitors” with a double page spread headlined “Retired .. Hurt” while the Daily Mirror back page screamed “Betrayal”, highlighting Pietersen’s remarks “They say they don’t trust me, but how can anyone trust them?” The incident has also dominated social media discussions. “Anyone else struggling to explain to their nine-year-old that Pietersen isn’t allowed to play for England?” tweeted former England captain Michael Vaughan. Another former captain Nasser Hussain said: “The ECB have shot themselves in the foot again. After

I see the head boy (Strauss) is making English cricket a laughing stock again Graeme Smith, Former South Africa captain the appalling way Peter Moores’ sacking (as coach) was handled, they need to get their act together.” Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith also joined the debate and tweeted “I see the head boy (Strauss) is making English cricket a laughing stock again.”

GOING TO INDIA

Angry Pietersen rails at ‘deceitful’ England LONDON: An extraordinary week in Kevin Pietersen’s turbulent career will end with him flying back to India to play in the IPL feeling betrayed by what he described as “deceitful” behaviour by the England management. Pietersen was told by new England cricket director Andrew Strauss on Monday that he was not in his plans for this summer’s test matches due to a complete breakdown of trust. And the flamboyant 34-yearold right-hander, who completed a career-best 355 not out for Surrey on Tuesday, responded in typically forthright manner. “I am absolutely devastated that it looks like my hopes of an England recall have been brought to a close, especially given everything that has been said and asked of me,” Pietersen wrote in a column to be published in the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday. “I had a meeting with Andrew Strauss and (England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive) Tom Harrison at a hotel in London on Monday night.“I have never hidden my determination to once again represent England and, having played one of the best innings of my career earlier in the day, I must admit I was riding the crest of a wave.They have used the word trust to justify not selecting me, well, trust is a two-way thing.” Pietersen will fly to India on Friday at the request of his IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad. “It’ll give me a good opportunity to cool down and assess

said. “Coventry is back specifically for the T20 team and has been playing really well, and Graeme Cremer can be a big value add and has settled in beautifully.” This will be a first tour without stalwart batsman Brendan Taylor, who retired from international cricket after the 50-over World Cup earlier this year. Whatmore is concerned about who can fill his boots. “It’s a huge blow to lose him... a huge blow. It’s difficult to cover for someone like that in a short space of time, but we can only try the best we can.” The tour to Pakistan will be a first for Whatmore since he signed a new four-year contract to coach

Devastated Kevin Pietersen will now ﬂy to India at the request of Sunrisers Hyderabad and the batsman said it will give him an opportunity to cool down

what I’m going to do next. I’m just sorry it won’t be putting on an England shirt,” added Pietersen, who pulled out of a deal to join the Sunrisers in order to play for Surrey and boost his chances of an England recall. Strauss, who ﬁred England coach Peter Moores on Saturday to raise Pietersen’s hopes of a return to the team, explained his thinking at a news conference at Lord’s on Tuesday. “The truth about Kevin is that he is a phenomenal cricketer. But over months and years trust has eroded between Kevin Pietersen and the ECB,” Strauss said. “There is a massive trust issue between me and Kevin.” Chequered past Despite his chequered past and

undoubtedly egotistical approach to the game, it is hard not to feel sympathy for a player who has scored 8,181 test runs, including 23 centuries. Pietersen was sacked by England in February 2014 after being accused of being disengaged from the team during the 5-0 Ashes mauling in Australia. A controversial autobiography further distanced him from an international recall but incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves said in March that he would be considered for selection if he made runs in county cricket. He has done exactly that. “I went into the meeting expecting Strauss to say that England’s batting order is good at the moment but if I continued to score runs and if an injury occurred

then I would be in contention to play,” Pietersen said. “I would naturally have to earn my recall, but at least I would be eligible. But no. “Quite simply, I feel deeply misled. I had two phone conversations with Colin Graves and he was crystal clear in saying I had to get a county, score runs and that there was a clean slate.” Pietersen said he had given up his IPL contract at great personal expense. “It is horrendous to feel I have been led down the garden path. They knew all along this was a dead end for me. “I am angry and hurt but right now there is nothing I can do about it. Strauss will be judged on his results.” - Reuters

Somerset all-rounder Peter Trego said: “Has “trust” ever won a game of cricket ? I thought it was runs and wickets. Is there a new World Cup of trust England are hoping to win.” The fallout went beyond cricket with former England soccer skip-

per Gary Lineker saying “Strauss’s decision seems extraordinarily petty. I have never been in a dressing room where I have liked or even respected everyone. You deal with it.” Broadcaster Piers Morgan, a friend of Pietersen’s, added: “Trust? Trust? I wouldn’t trust Andrew Strauss to run a bath let alone English cricket.” Absolutely devastated In his column Pietersen, 34, wrote: “I am absolutely devastated that it looks like my hopes of an England recall have been brought to a close, especially given everything that has been said and asked of me.” “They have used the word trust to justify not selecting me, well, trust is a two-way thing.” - Reuters

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

SPORTS AFC suspends Soosay over ‘cover up’ Fifa bans former official Temarii for eight years

Alex Soosay, a former coach and Malaysian international midﬁelder, was relieved of his duties pending a probe into allegations he tried to hide documents during a 2012 audit IN TROUBLE: AFC General Secretary Alex Soosay.

KUALA LUMPUR: Asian football’s long-serving general secretary was suspended on Wednesday over cover-up claims dating back to the dark days of disgraced ex-president Mohamed bin Hammam. Alex Soosay, a former coach and Malaysian international midﬁelder, was relieved of his duties pending a probe into allegations he tried to hide documents during a 2012 audit. The move follows the emergence of the videotaped interview of an AFC official who said Soosay asked him to “tamper (with) or hide” documents from investigators. PricewaterhouseCoopers carried out the audit following claims that Bin Hammam, now banned from football, was guilty of ﬁnancial wrongdoing during his time in office. “Asian Football Confederation General Secretary Dato Alex Soosay was today suspended by the AFC following media allega-

tions which have recently surfaced concerning a case in 2012,” an AFC statement said. “A video statement conducted as part of a Fifa investigation was passed to media recently and the AFC has now been able to verify its authenticity.” The statement added that deputy general secretary Windsor John would take over on an interim basis while an internal investigation is carried out. Soosay’s suspension comes less than two weeks after he insisted that “the case is closed”. “It’s completely, I don’t know, all of a sudden taken out of context,” he said on May 1, during an interview at the AFC Congress in Bahrain. ‘Protect me’ The documents Soosay was trying to hide are thought to relate to payments made under Qatari businessman bin Hammam, who was

TA X F R AU D

Days after the taped interview, the AFC ﬁled a report with police alleging the theft of ﬁnancial documents from its headquarters in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. According to the Malay Mail, Soosay later claimed in a police report that Hammam had embezzled nearly US$10 million. Soosay made his denial in Bahrain just after the re-election of AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, who succeeded bin Hammam in 2013 promising to wipe the slate clean. Bin Hammam was accused of bribery while campaigning for the Fifa presidency in 2011, as well as during his native Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup. The mustachioed Soosay became AFC general secretary in 2009, the latter part of bin Hammam’s nine-year stint in charge of the Asian football body. - AFP

lowing a meeting with Mr Bin Hammam in November 2010 in Kuala Lumpur,” Fifa said in a statement after the ruling by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Fifa Ethics Committee, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert. Temarii was banned “from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for a period of eight years”, Fifa said. In November 2010, Fifa’s ethics committee banned Temarii from Fifa’s decision making executive committee for one year and ﬁned him for ethics violations, following a Sunday Times undercover report on vote-buying during the race to host the World Cups. Russia and Qatar won the right to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in a secret ballot by the remaining members of Fifa’s executive committee in December. The process and outcome met with severe criticism from several quarters. Qatar has denied any wrongdoing in the World Cup vote. Hammam was banned for life from football activities in December 2012 over “conﬂicts of interest”. - AFP

I TA L I A N O P E N

Barcelona sent to trial over Neymar signing MADRID: A Spanish judge on Wednesday ordered Barcelona football club to stand trial over alleged tax fraud linked to the signing of Brazilian star striker Neymar. The National Court in Madrid ordered the trial of Barca’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu, his predecessor Sandro Rosell and the club as a defendant in its own right. They have always said they paid a transfer fee of 57 million euros ($65 million) to sign the Brazilian star from his home club Santos in 2013. The court suspects the actual price was at least 83.3 million euros and that Rosell and Bartomeu hid the real cost from the taxman. Judge Jose de la Mata said in a written ruling there was evidence that they “knew the real cost of the signing of Neymar would be greater” than what they recorded in the club’s 2013 accounts. It is alleged the overall fee was split between a number of different contracts between Barcelona, Santos and Neymar himself with the sole intention of signing the player. In doing so, Barcelona stand accused of defrauding the Spanish tax man of 12.7 million euros. The defendants have 10 days to make court ﬁlings in their defence, the court said. It did not set a trial date for the time being. The ruling comes just a day after Neymar scored twice to take Barcelona into the Champions League

also widely accused of bribery. The explosive claims surfaced last month via the Malay Mail, which received a copy of the July 2012 taped interview of the AFC’s ﬁnancial director. The ﬁnancial director said he came forward to Fifa investigators because of concerns about a conversation with Soosay at the time. “He suddenly said ‘protect me’ and I was surprised,” the staff member was reported as saying in the interview. “He said based on (what) they (PwC) have found out, have ‘I committed any crime and will they blame me for anything? Anything that you have... is it possible to either tamper or hide it somewhere?’ “As far as I understand (Soosay was talking about) things he had signed... about the premium voucher, the instruction to initiate payment mainly possibly for cash advances taken by Hammam.”

LAUSANNE: Fifa on Wednesday banned former vice-president Reynald Temarii for eight years for accepting almost $350,000 from disgraced Qatari official Mohamed bin Hammam to pay legal fees in a corruption case. Hammam paid Temarii 305,640 euros ($347,000) in January 2011, weeks after Fifa voted to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, said a Fifa statement. Temarii, was at the time head of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) as well as the Tahiti Football Association chief. Hammam helped Temarii’s appeal against a one year suspension imposed in November 2010 by Fifa which prevented him from voting in the contests for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups one month later. The OFC had agreed to back Australia’s bid for 2022 but Temarii’s appeal meant it cast no vote. Fifa said Hammam, then a member of the Fifa executive committee and the Asian Football Confederation president, covered the costs of Temarii’s legal expenses. “Mr Temarii received the money in January 2011 fol-

final at the expense of Bayern Munich and with the club on the verge of a treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of two years and three months for Bartomeu and seven years for Rosell, as well as a 22.2 million euro fine for the club. Initial agreement The cost of the transfer rose steeply when Barca decided to bring forward an initial agreement signed in 2011 for the player to move in 2014 by a year as other clubs, including rivals Real Madrid, attempted to hijack the deal. Rosell resigned over the scandal in January 2014 after a club member lodged a complaint for misappropriation of funds, with his then vice-president Bartomeu taking charge. Shortly afterwards the club confirmed a number of extra agreements including a 10 million euro signing bonus for the player and scouting and collaborative agreements totalling 86.2 million euros, but insisted the transfer fee remained 57 million. In February of last year, Barcelona announced that they had made a voluntary payment of 13.5 million euros to the Spanish tax authorities regarding the transfer. Bartomeu’s involvement could seriously damage his campaign to be elected as president in club elections at the end of the season. - AFP

Murray wins Rome opener ROME: Unbeaten Andy Murray kept his clay-court purple patch alive on Wednesday, defeating Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-3 to reach the third round of the Italian Open. Murray now owns a dominating 10-0 start on the dirt as he competes at the Foro Italico after making a late decision to see how his body had held up after his stunning Madrid Open win on Sunday over Rafael Nadal. “My legs were a bit tired at the start but they started to feel better after a few games,” said Murray. “I played a good match. “He (Chardy) has a big serve, it was tough for me. But I hung in, moved well and didn’t give him loads of opportunities. I served well throughout the match. “I’m happy with how I adjusted to conditions, I made it difficult for him to win free points. “I don’t know how my body will feel over the next days, but I’ll try to spend as much time recovering and resting as possible.” Nadal, his seeding down to fourth, began his title defence and the quest for a record eighth Rome trophy as he crushed Turk Marsel Ilhan 6-2, 6-0 in barely one and a quarter hours. Third seed Murray is bidding for a potential pre-Roland Garros trophy hat-trick after winning the first clay honour of his career in Munich and following up with a huge title success in Madrid at the expense of Spain’s king of clay. The soon-to-be 28-year-old Scot is playing Rome for the tenth straight edition, now standing a level 9-9 over his career at the venue. He reached the quarterfinals in 2014, losing to Nadal in three sets. Murray beat Chardy in 84 minutes with six aces and three breaks of the Frenchman’s serve, leading 6-1 in the series. The seed’s victory was his 31st of the season against five defeats. Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori won his opining test four days after falling in a Madrid

FEELING BETTER: Andy Murray of Scotland returns the ball to Jeremy Chardy of France during their

Italian Open match at the Foro Italico in Rome on Wednesday. – AFP

semiﬁnal to Nadal, with Asia’s top player defeating Czech Jiri Vesely 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 American John Isner continued to play outside of his comfort zone, the 16th seed sending over 11 aces in a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Leonardo Mayer. Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez accounted for Ukrainian qualiﬁer Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 6-3.

In the women’s draw, second seed Simona Halep made up for last week’s surprise opening exit in Madrid, defeating American Alison Riske 6-3, 6-0 for a place in the third round. Halep said that her physical niggles of last week are no longer an issue. “I feel good and I have no pain anymore, just a little bit of contraction in the back muscle. I can

run, I can play, I can do everything,” said the 2014 French Open ﬁnalist. Two seeds lost as Russian Daria Gavrilova put out seventh seed Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (9/7) barely a month after upsetting Maria Sharapova in an opening round in Miami. Serb Bojana Jovanovski defeated 15th seed Madison Keys 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. - AFP

TOKYO GAMES

Table tennis presses for extra Olympic gold LAUSANNE: The international table tennis leader has pressed Olympic chief Thomas Bach for the sport to get an extra gold medal in the already crowded timetable for the 2020 Tokyo Games. ITTF President Thomas Weikert wants an extra mixed event added to the table tennis competition and made the call during talks with IOC counterpart Bach,

who has promised to open up the Tokyo Games to new sports, the federation said. Weikert and Bach “discussed the possibility of table tennis having mixed doubles or mixed teams as a ﬁfth event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games” in addition to the current men’s and women’s singles and team contests, said a statement. Table tennis has been part of

the Olympics since the 1988 Seoul Games and the medals have since been dominated by China. Bach faces pressure from several current Olympic sports for extra events at Tokyo as well as from sports such as baseball and squash seeking a return or a foothold in the Olympics. As part of reforms voted in December, the IOC agreed to al-

low more sports in the summer Games but has capped the number of individual gold medals at the 306 to be disputed in Rio de Janeiro next year. That means for every new event allowed, another sport will have to cut an event. The Tokyo Games organisers are to announce on June 22 the new sports they would like introduced at the 2020 Olympics. - AFP

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V I TA L M E E T

OOC board members hold third meeting of the year MUSCAT: The Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) board members held their second meeting of the year under the chairmanship of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Zubair at the conference hall of the OOC on Wednesday. In his opening remarks, Sheikh Khalid commended Oman’s achievements in recent times, the most important being the Sultanate’s ﬁrst place ﬁnish at the 2nd GCC Beach Games in Doha in April when Omani athletes won a total 13 medals, including eight gold, four silver and one bronze. The board members hailed these achievements and the great role played by OOC in supporting the participating teams and pursuing their preparation plans. The board members also praised and congratulated the Omani national beach football team for qualifying to the World Beach Football Championship scheduled to be

held in Portugal and expressed satisfaction at the success of the 4th GCC Women’s Sports Games held in Muscat in March when the Sultanate took the second place. The OOC officials also com-

mended the efforts made in connection with the meeting of the GCC and Yemen Regional Anti-Doping Organization (Rado) hosted by Oman Anti-Doping Committee in Muscat on April 14.

The board members also lauded the efforts of all those involved in hosting the Asian Beach Handball Championship in Muscat in ﬁrst week of May, when the national team qualiﬁed for the World Beach

Younis advances at ISSF tennis tourney

Handball Championships to be held in Hungary. The members also discussed a number of topics, including the records of the OOC’s Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly

meetings and the resolutions passed therein, including amendments to the some clauses of the OOC’s Statutes and approval of the OOC’s Disputes Resolution and Arbitration for Sports Regulation in Oman. They discussed at length the Disputes Resolution and Arbitration for Sport Committee required to be established within OOC and reviewed its duties, jurisdictions, powers and operational mechanisms. It stressed the need for intensive contacts to be made with the relevant legal and sports personalities seeking their potential collaboration with the committee in this ﬁeld of activity. The board reviewed the GCC General Secretariat’s letter concerning the 3rd GCC Beach Games proposed to be hosted by Oman and directed the OOC’s General Secretariat to conduct necessary study in this respect and forward the ﬁndings to the board.

KEY ROLE

Oman and Qatar aim to strengthen golﬁng relations

Younis overcame a stiff competition in his ﬁrst round match against Ugandan David Oringa Mundhir Al Barwani

Mohammed Faisal Al Nuaimi

before winning by a 7-5, 6-3 margin

MUSCAT: Younis Al Rawahi stormed into the second round of the men’s singles at the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) International Tennis Championships in the Indonesian city of Palembang on Wednesday. According to information received from the Oman Tennis Association (OTA), Younis overcame a stiff competition in his ﬁrst round match against Ugandan David Oringa before winning the match by a 7-5, 6-3 margin. In the second round, Younis will take on Henry Prithul of Bangladesh. While Younis advanced to the second round, compatriots Omran Al Balushi, Saleh Al Zadjali and Fawaz Al Mandhari suffered ﬁrst round exits. Omran was handed a 6-4, 6-1 defeat by Vananasak Chheang, Saleh was beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Amer Naow of Syria and Fawaz went down 6-3, 6-1

GOOD START: Younis Al Rawahi. – Supplied photo

to Fazeel Abdulla Faaih of Maldives. Meanwhile, Omani star Fatma Al Nabhani received a ﬁrst round bye thanks to her top seeding in the women’s singles. In the second round, Fatma will take on the winner of the ﬁrst round match between compatriots Sarah

Al Balushi and Samar Al Bakry. In the women’s doubles, Fatma will be teaming up with Sarah Al Balushi while Samar Al Bakry will be pairing up with Syrian girl Maria Eissa. In the men’s doubles, two Oman pairs — Omran and Younis, and

HOCKEY

ticularly impressed by the fastdeveloping women’s programme in the country. “It’s great to be here. Oman is playing a key role in developing golf in the region,” opined the top Qatari official. The golf officials discussed the possibilities of bilateral tournaments and exchange programmes involving training camps. “As he prosposed, we are also considering mini tournaments for our junior team in Oman as well as in Qatar. It will help our junior players to get more exposure,” informed Al Barwani. They also discussed the upcoming elections to the Asia Paciﬁc Golf Confederation (APGC) that are expected to take place sometime later this year. Al Barwani said: “The objective of the meeting was to align our agenda for the forthcoming APGF meeting in Hong Kong in the latter part of this year. We are coordinating our effort to ensure a proper representation of Asia at the APGC’s Executive Committee.”

NEW EVENT

OHA league final round to be organised from Saturday MUSCAT: The final round of the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) Hockey League will take place from May 16 to 31. According to information provided by the Oman Hockey Association on Wednesday, Al Ittihad, Seeb, Dhofar, Al Nasr, Salalah and Ahli-Sidab will be taking part in the final round. The matches will be played at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher and Al Saada Sports Complex in Salalah. The third place play-off and the final, scheduled for May 31, will

Fawaz and Saleh — will be action. It may be mentioned, Oman women’s team had earlier won the silver medal in the women’s team competition. The team comprised Fatma Al Nabhani, Sarah Al Balushi and Samar Al Bakry.

MUSCAT: In a bid to strengthen the golfing relationship between Oman and Qatar, the Executive Director of the Qatar Golf Federation and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation’s Executive Committee member, Mohammed Faisal Al Nuaimi, visited Muscat on Monday. He met with the Oman Golf Committee Chairman Mundhir Al Barwani and Vice-Chairman Ahmed Al Jahadhamy at The Wave, Muscat. They discussed various issues regarding golfing programmes between the two nations. The top Qatari golf official was taken on a tour of the golfing facilities in the Sultanate. “It was wonderful to have him here. We had an hour-long meeting and it was very fruitful. He was quite impressed with the set up that the Oman Golf Committee has,” OGC Chairman Al Barwani said. Al Faisal praised the efforts that are being taken to develop junior golf in Oman. He was par-

be played at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. Fixtures May 16: Dhofar vs Al Nasr, 5 pm, at Al Saada Sports Complex. May17: Salalah vs Al Ittihad, 5 pm, at Al Saada Sports Complex. May 19: Dhofar vs Salalah, 5 pm, Al Saada Sports Complex. Ahli-Sidab vs Seeb 7 pm Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. May 20: Al Ittihad vs Al Nasr 5 pm, Al Saada Sports Complex. May 22: Al Nasr vs Salalah, 5 pm, Al Saada Sports Complex.

May 23: Al Ittihad vs Dhofar, 5 pm, Al Saada Sports Complex. May 25: Al Ittihad vs AhliSidab, 6.30 pm, at SQSC. Seeb vs Salalah, 8.30 pm, SQSC. May 26: Dhofar vs Seeb, 6.30 pm, at SQSC. Ahli-Sidab vs Al Nasr, 8.30 pm, SQSC. May 28: Seeb vs Al Nasr, 6.30 pm, at SQSC. Salalah vs Ahli-Sidab, 8.30 pm, SQSC. May 29: Ahli-Sidab vs Dhofar, 6.30 pm, at SQSC. Al Ittihad vs Seeb, 8.30 pm, SQSC. May 31: Third place play-off, 6 pm, and ﬁnal, 8 pm, at SQSC.

Sohar Squash Championship draw to be conducted today MUSCAT: The draw for the Sohar Squash Championship, to be organised in Sohar from May 14 to 16, will be conducted at the Sohar Sports Complex from 8 p.m. on Thursday. The action will begin on Friday and the ﬁnal will be played from 12 noon on Saturday. The tournament is being sponsored by Al Afaq Construction Company. According to chief organiser Tahir Al Barwani, the Sohar championship is the third in a series of squash tournaments being planned to promote the

sport in the Sultanate. “This is our third tournament and we will be hosting a squash event for the first time in Sohar,” he informed. “We are also planning to organise the fourth tournament in Salalah during the forthcoming Khareef season and it will be known as Khareef Squash Open.” Great interest The first two tournaments were held in Muscat. In the first event, which was open for Omanis, saw participation of 60 enthusiasts with Fahad

Al Hinai taking top honours ahead of Mohammed Al Hadad. In the under-18 tournament, Ahmed Al Barwani took the title while Abdullah Alawaidi clinched the second place. The second event, Oman Squad Open, has attracted 70 players from different nationalities, including those form the UAE. Jamal Al Barwani won the top place and Tahir Al Barwani settled for runners-up spot. In the under-18 category, Abdullah Al Awaidi won the title ahead of India’s Leoan.

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

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SATT returns for sixth year with a new route and new challenges The Tour has been revised at the request of sailors seeking new challenges and will see the ﬂeet cross the Arabian Gulf twice with stop overs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Khasab, Sohar and Muscat

MUSCAT: The sixth edition of Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT) will begin on February 16 in 2016 with a new route and a combination of long distance open water legs and intense inport racing. The Tour has been revised at the request of sailors seeking new challenges and will see the ﬂeet cross the Arabian Gulf twice with stop overs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Khasab, Sohar and Muscat over the course of two weeks. “The changes have made Sailing Arabia – The Tour more interesting and will test the full skill range of the crews,” Salma Al Hashmi, Director of Marketing

and Events at Oman Sail, said. “They will experience different types of sailing, both upwind and downwind, different weather systems, different leg durations and the different tactical challenges presented by racing one day close to shore and the next out to sea. “We have taken on-board all of the valuable feedback from the past ﬁve races and come up with a course we feel will build on Sailing

Arabia — The Tour’s reputation as the premier offshore race in the Middle East.” Starting on February 15 in Dubai, the Tour will kick off with an inshore race before the fleet head off on the first offshore leg to Abu Dhabi. Two more inshore races in Abu Dhabi and Doha, with valuable points up for grabs, will combine with two of the trickiest offshore legs of the race, the first from Abu

Dhabi to Doha through the notoriously difficult oilﬁelds and the second from Doha to a new destination, Khasab in Oman’s northernmost Governorate. This will take the ﬂeet further into the Straits of Hormuz than has been previously attempted and give the crews a more demanding offshore challenge stretching more than 200 nautical miles. From Khasab, they will race back out into the Straits of Hor-

muz, round the Musandam Peninsula and down the coast of Oman to Sohar where they will be treated to an exciting day on shore including cultural activities and tours of heritage sites. A ﬁfth and ﬁnal leg, a sprint from Sohar to The Wave, Muscat starting on February 28, will present a double points opportunity designed to end the region’s number one offshore race on an exciting high.

The schedule: Feb 15: Dubai inport race; Feb 16: Dubai-Abu Dhabi offshore leg 1; Feb 17: Abu Dhabi inport race; Feb 18: Abu Dhabi-Doha offshore leg 2; Feb 19: - at sea; Feb 20: Arrival in Doha; Feb 21: Doha inport race; Feb 22: Doha-Khasab offshore leg 3; Feb 23: at sea; Feb 24: Arrival Khasab; Feb 25: KhasabSohar offshore leg 4; Feb 26: Arrival Sohar; Feb 27: rest day; Feb 28: Sohar-Muscat offshore leg 5; Feb 29: Arrival Muscat.

FOOTBALL

Orpic clinch OOC Group Cup MUSCAT: Oman Oil Refineries & Petroleum Industries (Orpic) defeated Duqm Refinery by a 3-1 margin to clinch the title at the OOC Group Cup football tournament at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex here recently. Oman Gas Company (OGC) team took the third place. The three-day tournament, the inaugural event of the Oman Oil Company (OOC) — the government’s investment arm in the energy and related sectors, was organised with the main objective of encouraging the employees of OOC group of companies to lead healthy lifestyle and to engage in sporting activities, and to promote fair play among the participants. Isam bin Saud Al Zadjali, CEO of OOC, presided over the final match and presentation ceremony. In his remarks, Isam Al Zadjali: “We are so delighted to see

BEST INDIANS CUP ATTRACTS 28 TEAMS

Best Indians Muscat conducted the draw of the upcoming Best Indians Cup 2015 cricket tournament at Four Square Restaurant in Ruwi recently in the presence of team captains. Twenty-eight teams have conﬁrmed participation in this tournament. The matches will be played in three weeks from May 15 to 29. Best Indians Muscat, Four Square Restaurant, Island Wide High Technology, Cheers XI Muscat and National Mineral Water Co. are the major supporters of the event. — Supplied photo

WINNERS: Orpic team pose for a group photo. – Supplied photo

employees of OOC group represent their companies in different teams, enjoying their time while they play football in a challenging and fun-ﬁlled sport atmosphere.” A total of eight teams, representing Oman Oil Company and nine companies of its affiliates and subsidiaries, participated in the competition. The team are

Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP), Takatuf Oman, Duqm Reﬁnery, Oman Oil Reﬁneries & Petroleum Industries (Orpic), Oman Gas Company (OGC), Oman Shipping Company, Oman Tank Terminal Company (OTTCO), Centralised Utilities Company (CUC) and Duqm Petroleum Terminal Company (DPTC). TOP PICK

Almouj Golf attracts global attention at Asia Golf Tourism Convention MUSCAT: Almouj Golf at The Wave, Muscat showcased the unique golf and leisure attractions available at Oman’s first 18-hole PGA Standard links golf course during the 4th Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC), recently held in Indonesia. Almouj Golf representatives networked with over 200 golf industry tour buyers and media from more than 30 international markets, positioning Almouj Golf as one of the top picks in the minds of golf tourism trade experts. “With Oman experiencing a surge of golf holiday bookings from around the world, Almouj Golf’s first participation in the event highlighted the Sultanate’s distinct tourism-related propositions, while boosting its international ranking as an upand-coming golfing destination,” Simon Duffield, General Manager of Almouj Golf, said. He added: “Golf tourism is currently valued at 20 billion dollars globally and Asia in particular is experiencing unprecedented growth rates, therefore, the threeday convention was a vital platform to introduce Oman as a must-visit golfing destination. “In addition, we explored long-term productive businessto-business deals within key international markets, which will be instrumental in increasing Almouj Golf’s exposure and

attracting more golfers.” Home to the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic Grand Final, European Challenge Tour, among other competitions and activities, Almouj Golf offers a variety

of memorable golﬁng experiences for local and visitor golfers. Since opening in 2012, Almouj Golf has enjoyed a series of acknowledgments being voted 4th Best Golf Course in the Middle

East by Golf Digest ME, and attained TripAdvisor’s Certiﬁcate of Excellence in the same year, while maintaining its position as one of the Top 5 Outdoor Activities in Muscat.

SECTION

SIGHT & SOUND veryone hated me on this movie,” laughs Charlize Theron, glancing at a photograph of herself as Imperator Furiosa, a shaven-headed, one-armed warrior in George Miller’s highly anticipated new instalment of his legendary Mad Max films. With Tom Hardy stepping into the role made famous 30 years ago by Mel Gibson, Mad Max: Fury Road was filmed over eight long months in the scorching desert dust outside Swakopmund, Namibia. On the brink of turning 40 (in August), Theron is still that girl in some respects, still demanding to be heard and refusing to suffer fools, often with some colourful language. Certainly she is one of a handful of actresses who exude a real power, from her roles as a wicked queen in Snow White and The Huntsman or a female-rights pioneer in North Country to her unflinching, Oscar-winning performance as a serial killer in Monster. She has now met a match in the fiery Sean Penn, 54, whom she began dating 18 months ago, two years after she adopted Jackson, who is now threeand-a-half years old. The couple have been friends for almost 20 years, even collecting their Oscars — his for Mystic River — on the same night in 2004. As she told Esquire: “He’s hot. How do

Charlize Theron on going bald and bulking up for the post-apocalyptic action thriller

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM T H U R S DAY, MAY 14 , 2 0 1 5

you say that in an interview? You’re a 40-year-old woman sounding like a 16-year-old.” Last year they collaborated on the human rights drama The Last Face, ﬁlmed in the actress’s native South Africa; Penn directed, and Theron starred as an aid-agency boss. As much as their shared careers, the couple have found common ground in their passion for humanitarian work. Penn has his Haiti relief mission and Theron her own organisation devoted to raising Aids awareness in Africa. Politically informed, she can hold forth on any given issue, although her son is probably her favourite topic. “He’s just a cool kid, he really is. I’m sorry, my kid is so cool,” she says proudly. The tough, ice-cool blonde that Theron presents to the world, most notably in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, is at odds with her real persona. “I don’t think of myself as tough,” she admits. “But there’s something in my personality that likes a challenge and can cope in tough circumstances. I wanna believe if push came to shove I would pull it together and survive, but then I think in the luxury of this hotel room, we can all feel that way, right?” She trained hard for her role as Furiosa. “I wanted to look like I had tremendous upper-body strength because there was so much physicality

in the movie, especially with someone like Tom Hardy.” She has a deep admiration for her co-star Hardy, who shoulders the burden of the film’s success more than anyone, possibly even more than its creator Miller. “George has a real love for women. I really felt it in this movie and, selfishly, I feel like us women had the great pleasure of being supremely complex.” The long-reigning face of Dior, she was happy to see the tables turn on the Mad Max set, with her male co-stars spending more time in the make-up trailer than she had to. “Nicholas had all these prosthetics and paint every day but I just had to look mucky, smearing grease on my forehead and buzzing my head.” She refused to revisit the original Mad Max films prior to filming, and has never met Mel Gibson in all her red-carpet years. “I didn’t want to see the films again because then you’re sitting in the rig going, ‘oh my God am I being Tina Turner right now?’” Next she stars in Dark Places, adapted from Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn’s novel, which she also produced. She snapped up the film rights to Susanna Kaysen’s Brain on Fire, too, casting Dakota Fanning as the young journalist. -Gill Pringle/The Independent

THU RSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

ETCETERA

Remaking the classic was always daunting, and it doesn’t help when a new horror ﬁlm seems to open almost every weekend

“T

he ghost stuff doesn’t really do it for me,” Sam Rockwell said. “Personally I don’t believe in ghosts, because I’ve got enough stuff I’m scared of in life. Global warming is scary. Cancer is scary. I live in New York City! There are things to be afraid of that I can see right in front of me. “I’ve never been someone to worry about what I can’t control,” the 46-yearold actor continued. “Alzheimer’s disease scares the crap out of me. I’m afraid of disease. I just can’t add ghosts to that worry list, although some people are really afraid of things that go bump in the middle of the night. “That’s cool,” he said with a laugh. “Be afraid! Freak out! I get it. I’m just that guy who never freaks out.” The subject of ghosts came up because Rockwell was on the telephone from his New York apartment to talk about his latest ﬁlm, a remake of the classic Poltergeist (1982) that will open in the US on May 21. The plot is the same — Two parents (Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt) have to ﬁght to save their lives and those of their kids when their suburban home is invaded by evil, paranormal forces. Rockwell signed on, he said, because for once he was cast as the normal guy. “I’m the mom,” he joked. “No, honestly, as the father, it was a great role reversal for me because I’m the everyman. You might have noticed that I’ve played a lot of psychopaths and extreme characters. I’ve played guys in jail, guys who commit suicide, guys who are just generally intense and guys that no one really under-

stands. Then comes Poltergeist, and they just want me to play a regular person who is not deranged. I can hear people saying, ‘Sam Rockwell is the normal one?’ “For other actors, being normal might not be appealing,” Rockwell said. “I do think that me as the regular Joe is a very complex idea.” Is there ever really a regular Joe? “Exactly,” the actor said. “Everyone is complicated.” Remaking a classic is always daunting, and it didn’t help Rockwell, DeWitt and director Gil Kenan that the film reaches the big screen at a time when a new horror film seems to open almost every weekend. “I didn’t like the first draft of the script,” Rockwell admitted. “I said to the director, ‘Are you willing to make changes? Are you willing to go into a room with the writer and really get into it?’ We ended up in a hotel room, picking it apart. “I wanted my father character to be more complex, with a redemption arc,” the actor explained. “So we made him an ex-baseball player who has been laid off from selling tractors. We also gave me a little drinking problem. It’s not a serious issue - he has a casual, functional drinking problem that he needs to overcome. “We also updated the story to say that this family is suffering from the recession,” he added. “We’re downgrading houses, which is why they end up in this house.” Rockwell is a fan of the original film, which was based on a story by Steven Spielberg. “The funny thing is that the original ‘Poltergeist’ is PG by today’s standards,” he said. “I don’t know how scary it would be, if you were just seeing

I’ve played guys in jail, guys who commit suicide, guys who are just generally intense and guys that no one really understands. Then comes ‘Poltergeist,’ and they just want me to play a regular person who is not deranged. I can hear people saying, ‘Sam Rockwell is the normal one?

it for the first time. But it remains a great movie, because it’s such an emotional movie. The first film moved me because it was about how families stay together no matter what.” In preparing for the part, Rockwell called Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams, who played the parents in the original Poltergeist. “I was concerned,” he said. “I wanted to pay tribute to their movie, because it was a great movie. I knew it would be hard to live up to such a great film. Plus Hollywood already remade Poltergeist, except it was called Insidious (2010), so I really wanted to know if they had any pointers for me. “JoBeth gave me some great advice on how to play the parent role,” Rockwell recalled. “She said, ‘It’s not about the ghosts. It’s really about the kid. So essentially you’re making a child-abduction movie. If you can make it about the loss of a child, then you can’t go wrong.’ “Craig also told me that the supernatural stuff is really about the confusion and bewilderment of losing your child,” he added. “That’s what is at the emotional core.” Acting in a ghost movie is much different from making a child-abduction movie, though, and comes with its own challenges. “You’re doing a lot of acting on green screen and reacting to nothing,” Rockwell explained. “You really do have to use your imagination.” Acting is second nature to Rockwell, who was born in New York as the son of actors Pete Rockwell and Penny Hess. By the time he was 5, his parents had split and his father was living in San Francisco, where Rockwell spent the majority of his

childhood, although he would log summers in New York with his mother. He was 10 when he first stepped on stage, playing opposite his mother. “I guess acting was a natural choice for me,” he said, “because my parents were actors. I got into it for that reason. I guess you could say I fell into it. “The truth is, acting is the only thing I knew how to do,” Rockwell admitted. “I don’t really have any other skills.” He made his film debut in Clownhouse (1989), an indie film in which he played one of three escaped mental patients who dress as clowns. By then he was already landing television roles in episodes of such series as The Equalizer (1988) and Dream Street (1989). He amassed a long list of movie and television credits, including small roles in Woody Allen’s Celebrity (1998) and Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile (1999), but he didn’t really break through until Galaxy Quest (1999). Thereafter his roles grew steadily, and today his filmography includes Charlie’s Angels (2000), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Frost/Nixon (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010) and Cowboys & Aliens (2011). He played game-show host — and, allegedly, superspy — Chuck Barris in George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), and earned critical raves playing a multiple role in Duncan Jones’ space drama Moon. He might have made it to stardom sooner if he’d been more of an obvious type, but Rockwell said that he prefers to keep people guessing. -Cindy Pearlman/The New York Times News Service

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The iconic blues singer Bessie Smith has been an inspiration to a generation of singers who have followed in her pioneering footsteps, including Latifah

ithin the first 10 minutes of Bessie, HBO’s new biopic of Bessie Smith, we see the blues legend sing, cry, dance. At a party at the home of Carl Van Vechten, the Harlem Renaissance patron and gadfly, a soused Smith (Queen Latifah) belts the anthem Work House Blues to an audience that includes Langston Hughes, then throws a drink in the host’s face when he uses a racial epithet. “It was every emotion I probably could have asked for,” Latifah said dreamily. “She was a very busy woman.” The movie is a passion project for the 45-year-old Latifah, who first auditioned for the part in 1992. She had always hoped that playing Smith in the film, which will have its premiere on May 16, would introduce the pioneering but little-known singer to a new fan base, inspiring people to “draw from who she is and flip her style for today’s music.” Through the years she watched the screenplay bounce from person to person, while she grew to lead a small entertainment empire of her own, eventually landing in a position to help develop the film herself. Now a singer, actor, executive, television personality, cosmetics spokeswoman and author, Latifah may have developed a signature brand

of feel-good feminism. After waiting for more than two decades, she is able put a stamp on Smith’s unruly but powerful life. “It’s always been important to play strong female characters,” said Latifah, who did exactly that in her sitcom Living Single (1993-1998) and in her turn as Matron Mama Morton in Chicago (2002), which earned her an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress. When she got approval to make Bessie as star and producer, after HBO came on board in 2009, she chose, with the network’s support, to give the task of writing and directing to another black woman, Dee Rees. “It wasn’t a requirement,” Latifah said, over coffee at a Midtown hotel, but it was an ideal. “Whenever I’m No. 1 on that call sheet and I’m a producer, I’m always actively trying to make sure that my crew looks like the world.” She was makeup free — sorry, Covergirl — and dressed in fancy sweats, an Army jacket and pristine white sneakers, sleepyeyed after an early-morning ﬂight from Los Angeles, where she lives. “No disrespect, I like white dudes,” she continued, warming to the subject. “But I want to see a diverse group of people who are just as qualiﬁed for each position that they’re in. And I realised a long time ago that, if I did not intentionally do that, it wouldn’t happen.” Bessie

Smith, too, took care to create a world in which she felt at home. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith, who died in 1937, was for a time the highest-paid black entertainer in America, after rising from impoverished roots in Chattanooga, Tenn. Bessie’s story She was boundary-less — trysting even through marriage, the head of a travelling show that employed dozens, and a brazen personality who played to both white and black audiences. Though she wasn’t quite the raucous guest the movie depicts, she did sing at a Van Vechten party that Hughes attended. He later wrote that, after the opera star Marguerite D’Alvarez performed an aria, Smith offered a compliment: “Don’t let nobody tell you you can’t sing!” “She was not afraid to be wrong or afraid to ﬁght or afraid to tell someone just like it is,” Latifah said, “and that’s a gift. She gave me all the work I could handle.” Putting Smith on screen required a new level of intimacy from Latifah, born Dana Owens. In scenes with men and women, she is vulnerable one instant and bombastic the next. “I’m not worried about what people think in any way, shape or form when it comes to this movie,” she said. “This is Bessie’s story, and it needed to be told.”

Separated by generations, the two women — Smith, who influenced the likes of Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin, and Latifah, one of the first female rappers to earn a gold record — are part of a continuum of women in music who made their own opportunities and expanded, against considerable odds, their circles. A foremother might be Ma Rainey, the blues woman who helped teach Smith about stagecraft, and in the film is played, as a mentor and a libertarian, by Mo’Nique. “The issues they were dealing with then are the same things we’re dealing with right now, gender equality and wage equality,” Mo’Nique said in a separate interview. “Those women were right on time to show us, today those blueprints (for action). They took charge of their image.” The script for a Smith biopic initially was adapted from the music writer Chris Albertson’s 1972 biography Bessie (Yale University Press). Melvin Van Peebles wrote a draft, Albertson recalled in a separate interview, and then playwright Horton Foote. Still it languished in development, through the deaths of Foote and of producer Richard D. Zanuck, who had owned the rights with his wife, Lili Fini Zanuck. At the suggestion of HBO, the 38-yearold Rees got the call to write her version

of the script in 2012, a year after she broke out in the indie-filmmaking world with Pariah (2011), an autobiographical, coming-of-age story. She grew up in Nashville, where her grandmother introduced her to Smith’s music, so she had an emotional bond. “She was a queer black woman from Tennessee,” Ms. Rees said. Her research started in the library, poring over Smith’s lyrics, but her script was less biographical than characterdriven. She was influenced by Jamaica Kincaid’s work, especially her novel Autobiography of My Mother (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1996), and Angela Davis.The political education that helped lead her to Bessie Smith, Latifah said, was that “you don’t just accept everything that you learn in school as the only history, especially when you don’t see much of yourself in that book.” Though Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey are part of the musical canon, their contributions have sometimes been slighted, said Lauren Onkey, vice president for education and public programs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, in a separate interview. “(For years) the important blues singers were male singers and guitar players who ended up influencing people like Clapton and the Stones,” she said. - Melena Ryzik/The New York Times News Service

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Snoop Dogg feels tele-series ‘Game of Thrones’ is real RAPPER Snoop Dogg, a fan of fantasy drama TV series Game of Thrones, says he watches it to gain more knowledge about history as he feels whatever happens in the show must have happened sometime in the past. “I watch it for historic reasons, to try to understand what this world was based on before I got here. I like to know how we got from there, to here, and the similarities between then and now,” nypost.com quoted the 43-year-old as saying. The rapper has contributed to the mixtape of Game of Thrones season 5. As one of the show’s fans, he felt honoured for having been asked to contribute to the show. “I was more than honoured because I’m truly a fan of the show,” he said.

Jessica Alba hates working out; says she is not fond of it ACTRESS Jessica Alba hates working out as she feels there are so many other ways in which she can spend her time. The 34-year-old actress admits she has lost interest in staying in shape since having her daughters Honor, six, and three-year-old Haven — her children with husband Cash Warren — and thinks there are better ways to spend her time than in the gym, reported femaleﬁrst.co.uk. “I don’t really work out a lot. It’s not a priority — it should be, but it’s not. I worked out a lot after having my daughters and I’ve kind of stopped enjoying it,” Britain’s HELLO! Magazine quoted Alba as saying. “At the end of the day, I’d rather just return e-mails, talk to my girlfriends on the phone, watch bad TV. “Hitting the treadmill just doesn’t seem like that much fun,” she added.

Justin Bieber feels Selena Gomez is his ‘soulmate’ SINGER Justin Bieber feels Selena Gomez is his “soulmate”, and he “hates” being apart from the actress since he split from her late last year. “For him, they weren’t just in love, they were soulmates, and he hates when he can’t have her in his life,” said a source. The Baby hitmaker has been spotted spending time with model Hailey Baldwin and reality TV star Kendall Jenner in recent months, sparking rumours of ﬂings with both girls. However, the source insists Gomez is still the apple of Bieber’s eye. “Despite things with Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin, Justin has always held a torch for Selena,” the source said.

Willis surprised a waitress when he gave her a $923 tip THE 60-year-old actor and his wife Emma Heming on Saturday night had a lavish dinner with model Karolina Kurkova and 13 business partners at a restaurant, according to German newspaper Bild, Willis and the group feasted on codfish, lobster, filet mignon and pasta. The Die Hard actor was satisfied with the restaurant’s service and splashed out a big $923 tip for the waitress. The lucky waitress, identified as Rachel S, reportedly spent the money partying with colleagues after her shift. -IANS

SOFIA VERGARA PICKED UP A LEGACY AND RAN WITH IT The Latin actress has played up the very element that makes people see her differently, and in doing so, has become incredibly rich

ust how much have things changed since Miranda was dispatched to improve American sentiment toward Latin America? “It’s complicated,” said Angharad Valdivia, a research professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. Valdivia focuses on the intersections of gender, ethnic and Latin American studies with pop culture. Vergara’s movie Hot Pursuit, which she co-produced and costars in with Reese Witherspoon, opened last weekend in an environment where Latin American relations have once again taken centre stage as President Barack Obama has normalised ties with Cuba and declared the days of the United States “meddling” in Latin America over. Everything old is new again, and how! Vergara has attained rarefied levels of success, and she’s done it while operating within a narrow framework of how Latinas are viewed in America. In the years since Miranda first hit paydirt, some stereotypes stubbornly persist, especially when it comes to the way Latina should look and how women present themselves. In Vergara’s case, that meant dyeing her famously cascading locks from blonde — which is her natural hair colour — to brunette. “The fact is, she does not manage a successful crossover until she fulfills this stereotype of the voluptuous Latina and the voluptuous Latina is almost always brown-haired,” Valdivia said. Miranda’s road to the mainstream was paved with similar compromises. When Miranda arrived in Hollywood, the darker-skinned members of her Bando da Lua were gradually phased out to promote an image of Brazilians that looked Mexican at the

behest of studio executives, according to Helena Solberg, director of a mockumentary of Miranda’s life called Bananas is My Business. Miranda became one of the highest-paid women in Hollywood playing a Latin American composite, a white Portuguese woman singing the music of poor black Brazilians. (She never actually became a Brazilian citizen.) Even though Carmen was Portuguese, she assimilated all of Brazil and had a Brazilianess that few Brazilians have,” Maria Carmen Barbosa, the playwright who co-wrote South American Way: The Carmen Miranda Musical, told the New York Times in 2001. “She was irreverent, had street smarts, wit, daring and an impressive innate musicality.” For Vergara, acting was always a means to an end. Before her star began to rise with the circulation of a 1989 Colombian Pepsi commercial, Vergara was studying to become a dentist. When she decided to lean in to her show business career in earnest, she became a talk show host in Colombia. In 1994, after she moved to Miami and became a well-known entity on Univision, she co-founded an agency, Latin World Entertainment, to represent Spanishspeaking talent Univision had been muscling into bad deals, according to Vanity Fair. The network, the only Spanish-language game in town, would lean on talent to sign contracts in English that they barely understood, without the opportunity to have documents reviewed by a lawyer. Univsion did not respond to requests from The Washington Post for comment. “That is something that’s not going to disappear,” Valdivia said. “That is something that’s going to grow into a powerful component of Hollywood politics.” Vergara has effectively lever-

Vergara has attained rarefied levels of success, and she’s done it while operating within a narrow framework of how Latinas are viewed in America

aged her stardom to become the highest-paid woman on television for several years running. In doing so, she has become an unironic distillery and distributor of Latin essentialism, not unlike Miranda. “I’m Latin. We love jewellery,” she told Howard Stern last week when he gave her an opening to plug her jewellery line. “I’m wearing my Kay Jeweller’s line right now.” She employs her Latin-ness, or rather, a version of her Latinness ﬁltered through an American lens, to sell everything from a line of clothes at K-Mart (since dissolved) to perfume. In the English-language K-Mart ads, Americans saw a Colombian woman marketing her clothing as universal, while maintaining that they should be made for women. She’s providing colour, movement and interest in contrast to the bland white professionals charged with making her line a reality. All the while, the commercial is interspersed with guitar riffs

vaguely reminiscent of Spanish ﬂamenco. It works. Vergara gets a reported $325,000 per episode for Modern Family, and pulls in even more cash thanks to a long list of both Englishand Spanish-language endorsement deals. Miranda was courted to sell a very different product. She was instrumental in promoting the US’s Good Neighbour Policy, which dictated that the US stop interfering in Latin American affairs and eventually led to the Marines abandoning their occupation of Nicaragua and Haiti. Miranda wasn’t just a cultural force, but a geopolitical one. Her movie The Gang’s All Here was practically propaganda for the Good Neighbour Policy. As strange as it sounds now, she was enlisted to diminish negative stereotypes about Latin America and reinforce positive ones, achieved by playing a range of Latinas named Dorita, Chiquita, Rosita and Carmelita. In 2012, the cast of Modern Family, including Vergara, met the president in the Oval Office on a White House tour. Seventy years after Miranda’s work with the Roosevelt administration, Vergara pooh-poohed the idea of having a serious conversation with Obama. “I don’t think he wanted me to talk profound things,” Vergara told Stern. “Oh, let’s sit down right now to talk about the situation with trade in Colombia, Mr. President. Let’s sit down for a second. You have to respect his time. He’s the president of the United States. He has more important things to do than talk with me, chatting.” Vergara has played up the very element that makes people see her differently, and in doing so, has become incredibly rich. But she also runs the risk of becoming a parody of herself, Validivia said, much like Charo. -Soraya Nadia McDonald/ The Washington Post.

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CELEBRITY NEWS

Jennifer Lawrence to endorse Addict makeup ACTRESS Jennifer Lawrence has been announced as the newest face of Dior Addict makeup. The X-Men: First Class star, who has modelled the French label’s Miss Dior handbag line, looked gorgeous in the ﬁrst campaign advertisement that was released on Tuesday, reported aceshowbiz.com. The close-up photograph shows Lawrence’s ﬂawless complexion. The star of The Hunger Games sported bronze eyeshadow, coral-coloured blush and glossy pink lipstick. The pink shade is just one of 44 shades that will be featured in the re-launched Dior Addict Lipstick Collection, set to be released on September 1. Her hair was styled in an elegant windswept updo and she completed the look with a black patterned vest. The 24-year-old actress was chosen as Dior’s brand ambassador in 2012, following earlier faces Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis.

Bradley Cooper is ‘smitten’ with model Irina Shayk BRADLEY COOPER is “smitten” with Irina Shayk and is getting serious with the model. The Silver Linings Playbook actor has been spotted several times with the model in recent weeks and though they haven’t officially conﬁrmed they are a couple, they’re getting serious in private. “Bradley’s smitten and has been for a few weeks. He adores Irina and was raving about her to friends Sienna Miller and Madonna at the Met Gala,” Grazia magazine quoted a source as saying. “They were careful not to go on the red carpet together, but while they arrived and left separately, they were officially one another’s date,” the source added. The duo were introduced by mutual friend Leonardo DiCaprio shortly after Cooper split from British model Suki Waterhouse. He and Suki were on the rocks and, once they’d split, Leonardo introduced him to Irina,” the source said.

Rebel Wilson couldn’t believe Brad Pitt recognised her ACTRESS Rebel Wilson was surprised when actor Brad Pitt recognised her. “I was sitting next to Brad Pitt and he’s like, ‘Uh, I’ve seen your movie like 20 times. My kids love it.’ And he said, ‘Angelina watches it as well’. I couldn’t even believe he was talking to me, let alone seen me do comedy,” Wilson said. But the 29-year-old actress thinks she scared Pitt by embracing him for too long in a bid to show her appreciation. “I just kind of hugged him and for a really long extended time, to the point where he’s kind of moving back. When do you get that opportunity?,” she told talk show Live with Kelly and Michael.

Witherspoon set to play astronaut in ‘Pale Blue Dot’

Britt Robertson’s latest projects have completely altered the landscape, transforming her from a promising young actress to Hollywood’s latest ‘The Next Big Thing’

ritt Robertson is on a roll. In the past couple of years the 25-year-old actress has co-starred on the CBS sci-fi series Under the Dome (2013), appeared in the indie-film favourite Cake (2014) and romanced Scott Eastwood in The Longest Ride (2015), and now she’s about to share the screen with George Clooney in Brad Bird’s mega-movieTomorrowland. Opening in the US on May 22, the film follows a bitter, middle-aged man (Clooney) and an ever-hopeful teen named Casey (Robertson) who join forces-in fantastical fashion — to save the world from itself. Robertson, the oldest of seven children, started acting as a kid in South Carolina. Soon after moving to Los Angeles, she landed small parts in the likes of Sheena (1990), Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers (2004) and Dan in Real Life (2007). More recently she’s graduated to lead roles in Life Unexpected (2010-2011) and The Secret Circle (2011-2012). Her latest projects have completely altered the landscape, however, transforming her from promising young actress to Hollywood’s latest “Next Big Thing”. She spoke about all of the above and more during a recent telephone call from a Los Angeles hotel. QUESTION: You turned 25 in April, and already you have 40 film and television credits. Early on, was it simply fun, or have you always taken your work seriously? BRITT ROBERTSON: When I was a kid, I never considered it work. I always considered it a blessing and an opportunity, but I never took it seriously until I was

When I was a kid, I never considered it work. I always considered it a blessing and an opportunity, but I never took it seriously until I was 15 or 16 15 or 16. Once I got into my late teens, I started looking at it as a career and took it as seriously as possible. I also realised, along the way, that you have to be professional and a good person, because people want to work with professionals and they want to work with nice people. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with certain people multiple times, and I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that, if I want to keep working in this industry, I’ve got to make the most of the opportunity now. Brad Bird and his team auditioned countless young ladies for the female lead in ‘Tomorrowland’. What was the process like for you? When it ﬁrst came along, I didn’t know anything about it. I just read the sides. It was a normal audition. I didn’t think about getting it or anything coming

of it, because that’s usually how most auditions go. Then, when I got further down in the process, I was able to go into an office and read the script. After I read the script and I was auditioning for Brad, it became something I was excited about and really wanted to be a part of. What resonated about Casey and her journey? She’s driven and passionate, and it seems like she’s the only one in her world who’s trying to make the most of what she’s got. There’s this bleak future that everyone has given in to, and she’s not giving up. She stands up for herself and says, “I want to ﬁx things. I don’t want to take no for an answer.” I love that characteristic. I even try to adopt a little of that for myself. You spent a great deal of time with George Clooney making ‘Tomorrowland’.What impressed you most about him as an actor and how he carried himself on the set? I was able to watch George a lot. Brad would throw him new ideas or a new way to look at things. I loved watching how George would approach a certain idea, in terms of changing his plan. He was always so creative and not afraid. He’d always give Brad a shot, a go at Brad’s ideas. That was impressive, because it showed that he could take direction but still make it his own. As a person, I was always impressed by how normal George is and how he tries to not let the fame aspect of his life interfere with his professional or personal life. That was really impressive too.

You’ve wrapped another movie, ‘Cook’. What’s that about? I play a young girl named Charlie, and it’s about this unconventional relationship with a man (Eddie Murphy) who comes to cook for Charlie and her family, because my character’s mom is dying of breast cancer. He comes to cook and is only supposed to stay for six months, but ends up staying for six years, until the mother passes away. So it’s about Charlie’s relationship with Mr. Church and how it spans decades, and how they take care of each other. It’s based on a true friendship of the writer, Susan McMartin. It’s going to be a very sweet story. I loved the script and I love the movie. You’ve done a nice job of mixing studio films and indies such as ‘White Rabbit’ (2013), ‘Ask Me Anything’ (2014) and ‘Cake’ (2014). If ‘Tomorrowland’ blows up, you’re going to get the chance to do more films like that. How important will it be to you to still do the occasional indie? It’ll be super-important. I’ve learned most of the things I know now through intimate filmmaking. Obviously studio movies are really fun, luxurious and lots of money, and you have tons of time, but I think it’s important, for the sake of building tools and getting back to your roots, to do independent films. Independent films are like actors’ boot camp, because you don’t really get a chance to make mistakes, and I think some of the most beautiful moments are born out of those circumstances. So I love indies.Ian Spelling/The New York Times News Service

ACTRESS Reese Witherspoon has been roped in to produce and star in Fox Searchlight’s upcoming film Pale Blue Dot. Written by Brian C. Brown and Elliott DiGuiseppi, the story of the film follows a successful female astronaut who, after coming back home from a mission in space, starts to unravel when confronted by her seemingly perfect US dream life. Pale Blue Dot explores the theory that astronauts who spend extended periods of time staring at the Earth from space will begin to lose their sense of reality once they return home. Witherspoon will produce along with her producing partner Bruna Papandrea through their Pacific Standard production banner. -IANS

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Redmayne looks set to play Newt Scamander in Rowling’s film trilogy EDDIE REDMAYNE is reportedly keen to play the lead in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter spinoff movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The best actor Oscar winner is rumoured to have been Rowling’s preferred choice to play ‘magizoologist’ Newt Scamander the upcoming Warner Bros films. Redmayne, who won the coveted Academy Award for his turn as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, is “very happy” with the Fantastic Beasts script and would definitely take the role. Director David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter films, is also said to be considering a few other actors including Nicholas Hoult. But Rowling, who is making her screenplay writing debut on the trilogy, is said to have a heavy say in the making of the film.

The three films are based on a set text for Hogwarts students which featured in her bestselling Harry Potter series and will follow the adventures of Scamander in an “extension” of Potter’s fantastical world. The release date for the first movie is slated for 18 November 2016, two days before the 15th anniversary of Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The subsequent films are currently planned for 2018 and 2020. Rowling revealed some details to fans last September: “The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films,” she wrote. “But Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.” -Matilda Battersby/The Independent

BRIEFS

Nicki Minaj, Wiz Khalifa to perform at Billboard Awards

ROBERT PATTINSON IS BREAKING THE RULES OF ROMANCE No prizes for guessing that there’s one wedding invitation ‘Twilight’ star Kristen Stewart will turn down without too much regret this year. And that’s the marriage of the man she once hoped to marry

he five-year on-off affair finally fizzled out two years ago and now 28-year-old Robert Pattinson is “blissfully happy” with the girl who is now wearing his $100,000 engagement ring — a 27-year-old singer known as FKA Twigs. Robert and his new love — real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett — have become engaged after just six months and insiders say the wedding could be as early as August. We were told: “Twigs wants to get married sooner than later and have what she’s calling a ‘bangers and mash’ wedding. “She’d like a low-key registeroffice ceremony, a pub lunch and a party with friends but Rob’s family aren’t very happy about it. They suggested Salisbury Cathedral because the family have close ties with it, but he and Twigs want something a bit less stuffy. “Rob has also been giving serious thought to inviting Kristen to the wedding. They shared so much of their lives together. Twigs will go along with it although apparently she’s not too happy about it.” Robert and Kristen finally split up in 2013 after she admitted cheating with movie director Rupert Sanders, who was married at the time. Since the Twilight series came to an end, Robert has been busier than ever with movie offers and he currently has four in the pipeline: Childhood of a Leader, The Lost

City of Z, a western titled Brimstone and a “mob drama” movie The Trap. To signal that the PattinsonStewart love story is finally over, Robert has finally sold the $5 million Hollywood mansion he shared with Kristen. A friend said: “Kristen is devastated about the house. It has so many memories for her and part of her has always hoped that she would get back with Rob, but she knows this spells the end.” Robert turned down the lead role in the big screen version of Fifty Shades of Grey because he was committed to other movies. Says a source: “Rob was intrigued by Fifty Shades and flattered to be asked, but there was just no way he could do it.” First soaring to fame as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies, Robert quickly become a major heart-throb as reluctant vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight movies. “When I made a public appearance to promote the last Twilight picture, over 6,000 screaming fans turned up! It was a bit scary, I can tell you.” Robert says that using an American accent for Edward was no problem: “I grew up watching American movies and you feel as though you’re really acting when you have to basically change the way you speak. Otherwise I feel as though I’m not actually doing anything!”

Rob has also been giving serious thought to inviting Kristen to the wedding. They shared so much of their lives together. Twigs will go along with it although apparently she’s not too happy about it... In fact he’s done plenty since being discovered as a 17-year-old student at a London private school and given the part of Cedric Diggory. Apart from other Harry Potter movies, he was making TV and stage appearances when he was offered the part of Edward Cullen and his ﬁrst reaction was to refuse it! As Robert explains:”I’d read the book and liked it, but it made me really uncomfortable trying to picture myself in the part. Edward was an embodiment of perfection in a man and I was frightened I would look a complete idiot.” “He got so depressed with his

performance that every rehearsal was torture for him,” recalls director Catherine Hardwicke. “We’d get two lines out and then he would say that the scene just wasn’t working. “Eventually I just asked him to do the lines without worrying about it and without beating himself up. Then luckily Kristen came along and told him he was wonderful - and we never looked back after that!” “The moment we did a runthrough of some scenes with Kristen, everything seemed to click into place,” Robert remembers with a smile. “We had the chemistry that just worked.” Robert’s mother worked for a modelling agency and got her son modelling work when he was only 12. “I tried it for a while but it just didn’t work out. In fact my modelling career was a disaster,” he admits. He also had plans to be a musician — he plays guitar and piano and composes his own music — and in fact sang two songs on the last Twilight movie. “Apart from those movie soundtracks I’ve never really recorded anything. I’ve played with friends and in clubs. Music was my backup plan if acting failed.” Now he’s got someone who can give him a few hints on a pop career in the unlikely event of it ever coming to that. -John Graham/Tony James Features

PERFORMANCES by singer Nicki Minaj featuring music producer David Guetta, rapper Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth and violinist Lindsey Stirling, and a special tribute performance by rock band Imagine Dragons have been added to the lineup of this year’s Music Awards. Minaj will be performing her new single The night is still young and Hey mama featuring Guetta, while Khalifa and Puth are set to sing the Furious 7 soundtrack, See you again, read a statement. The 2015 Billboard Music Awards will be hosted by Ludacris and Chrissy Teigen on May 18.

Noomi Rapace to play Maria Callas in biopic ACTRESS Noomi Rapace will portray opera singer Maria Callas in the feature biopic Callas. Directed by Niki Caro, the biopic is centred on the passionate relationship the singer had with Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis lasting almost two decades. Caro will direct Callas from a screenplay that she adapted from Alfonso Signorini’s biography Too Proud, Too Fragile. Content Media Corporation will introduce the project to distributors for the first time in Cannes International Film Festival. Callas was a profoundly influential US opera singer of Greek heritage. She died in 1977 at the age of 53. Rapace has previously starred in films like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Ryan Reynolds gets active on social media RYAN REYNOLDS has joined social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, six months after he launched his own Twitter account. The 38-year-old, who joined Twitter in November last year, has now set up official accounts on the other two social networking sites, joking he is “fashionably 12 years late” in creating a Facebook page. In his ﬁrst post on the account, which has already racked up more than 670,000 fans. -IANS

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T H U R S DAY, M AY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

SECTION

CONNEC T H E D A I LY G U I D E

RENT

VACANCY

CARGO

T H U R S D AY, M AY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879

2 BHK with split A/C in Grand mall. Contact 96708000 1BHK with split A/C in Azaiba 16 Nov Street. Contact 96708000 Showroom for rent 200 m in Al Misfah, Bousher facing the main road. Contact 95202430 New building, residential apartments and offices, in Al Khoud Souq. Contact 95202340 Deluxe 1, 2 BHK ﬂats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence.# 99369081 /99142314 Flats 2 bedrooms, hall in Mumtaz way no 3352 building no 3774 /3668. Contact 99341138 / 98003444 506 sqm space with mezzanine available for rent in Al Wadi Al Kabir. Suitable for carpentry / auto workshop and /or electrical shop. Interested parties may Contact 24703981 One BHK ﬂat near Wadi Adai R/W Hillat As’ssad. Contact 98772585

2 BHK (with split AC) residential flat at Honda road. Contact 98087644 / 99795241 Mezzanine floor office space for rent area 200 sq. Contact 97175979 / 99001341 Al Khuwair 17, a room, hall, kitchen, toilet ground floor with A/c, owner. Contact 99385553 1BHK flat in Wattaya with split units A/C. Contact: 98802343 2 BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 10 BHK Villa in Al Khuwair 25 for Executive bachelors. Contact 99792181 7 BHK Flat in Azaiba for Executive Bachelors. Contact 99792181 1 Villa & 4 big apartments of 3 BHK with big hall & Kitchen Al Khoudh 6. Tel 97600322 alnehang@gmail.com

New one B/R directly from owner. Bausher. Contact – 92158031

Villa for rent with 4 bedroom at Al Khodh, Rent 600/-RO.#92888115

3000 sq mtrs Industrial landß, in Barka Sanaiya, with electricity 400KW, shed, staff accommodation and office. Ready to start any kind of factory. Contact 99384255.

4 bedroom villa at Al Ansab area. Contact: 96788070

Full storey at Al Khuwair, 3BHK 525/- R.O. Contact: 94232344

3 bedroom ﬂat for rent in Al Hamria Contact: 99341112

2 & 3 BHK in Qurum, with split AC, Near PDO Gate 2. Contact 94057023

Villa for rent in Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque. Contact 99366624

Mabella residential area ﬂat 3 bedroom, toilet 33 inside of the compound wall ground level, children playground excellent area. Contact 99879872

2BHK ﬂats in Al Khuwair-33 with split AC. Contact: 94057023 Independent villa in Darsait (OPP . KIMS hospital, behind Khimji mart) for rent 4 bedrooms, big hall and 1 kitchen + 1 pantry. Please call Ms Hiba Shaikh. Contact 98048210/ Mr Anil Kumar 99261773 Villa for rent in Azaiba near well roundabout & Umm AL Qura Mosque, 5 bedrooms, two hall , kitchen. Contact : Mr Sunil 92887809/ Mr Habib 98048207 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabeer. Contact : 92800007 1,2,3 BHK apartments for rent. , 4,5 BHK villas for rent. Contact 95178930

New 3 bedroom ﬂats split AC, attached toilets available behind Kims Oman hospital. Contact 95225662

3 Office space available between 120-142 sqm, with data cable, pantry, cassette AC, parking, @ RO. 5/- per/sqm. At Jibroo Muttrah. 2 BHK ﬂat at Azaiba, behind Al Meera Hypermarket. RO. 330/-.Contact: 93221054, 99229263, 95215289 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road. Contact 97293708 / 92433127 2 & 3 BHK , A/C Qurum. Contact 99024730 2& 3 BHK , Madinat Sultan Qaboos. Contact: 99024730

Flat 1 BHK for rent near Al Tajaweed furniture way no. 5917 Hamriya, Rent 160/- PM. Contact 99350946

For rent ﬂat 2 BHK 350/- R.O in North Al Ghubrah. Contact 97004127

1st ﬂoor ﬂat in Amerat Phase 5, 4 rooms, bathrooms (3), kitchen with A/C for family. Contact 95522405

For rent ﬂat 3BHK 390/-R.O in North Al Ghubrah. Contact 97004127

Office premises available in Ruwi and double bed room ﬂats available in Mabellah for rent. Contact tel nos 24833972/ 24833974/24450361 gsm 99367448

2 & 3 BHK ﬂat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

New ﬂat at Al Qurum, 2 BHK 450/R.O . Contact: 94232344

2BHK at Al Azaiba, 2bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning , 3 bathrooms. Contact : 99224748 / 99425665

1BHK R.O 250/-, Bldg # 1690 way # 6926 near to ISWK Kindergarten Wadi Kabir. Contact : 99476728

3 ﬂats for rent 3 bedrooms include A/C, near the highway (Bowshar Amerat). Contact 97777911 / 95533777

Ground + Mezzanine ﬂoor, suitable for A grade Restaurant next to Pizza hut, MBD. Contact 24714625 / 94460790

1 Villa & 4 big apartments of 3 BHK with big hall & Kitchen Al Khoudh 6. Tel 97600322 alnehang@gmail.com

1 & 2BHK at Honda road, 2 bedrooms, 1 hall, 2 bath rooms. Contact 99224748 / 99332297

T H U R S DAY, M AY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

BUYING / SELLING Used household & office furniture and electronic items. Contact 99834373, 97102699

M.V. FOR SALE

FOR SALE!

FOR RENT Labour Camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99792181 2 BHK flat in Rex Road. Contact 99792181 1 BHK flat in Honda Road (Ruwi). Contact 99792181 One BHK flat for rent in Ghobra with attach and common bathroom. For Indian family. Contact - 92322096 Studio & 1BHK flat in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99376454 2 bedroom apartment in Ruwi for rent or sale for information. Contact: 99360303 Well maintained spacious, 2BHK at Rex Road from 1st August. Contact: 92227165

Studio ﬂat Wadi Kabeer 160/-O.R. Contact - 99358589 / 97079146/ 95570288 1/3 BHK Flat Ghubrah, close to ISG Way 4041, building 4390. Contact 99319880 1BHK ﬂat near star cinema with split A/C 230/- O.R. Contact - 99358589/ 97079146/95570288

2 BHK & studio ﬂat at Darsait 1SM. Contact 99024730

Room with attached bathroom Al Khuwair 33 area. Contact 96059431

2BHK Muttrah behind Oman house. Contact 95915154

Big ﬂat in Al Khuwair 33, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, sitting, dining, family lounge, kitchen, store with A/C, rent 550/- OMR. Contact 97278169

2 BHK with A.C Ghubra R.O 350/-. Contact: 92144045 2BHK without A.C Mumtaz R.O 275/-. Contact 92144045 1BHK Ghubra R.O 350/-. Contact 92144045 2BHK ﬂat with very big balcony for rent at MBD, rent R.O 400/-Month. Contact 94273529

If require ﬂats for rent in Wadi Kabir please send me messages through whatsapp or call 99376454 1 BHK new bldg with A/C, curtains near Khimji Mart MBD. Contact: 99061408 / 99024039 1BHK, 2 toilets at South Ghubra include E/W and AC split with fully furnished OMR 350/-. Contact 92811110

AVAILABLE

I BHK Wanted In MBD Or CBD area (R0. 200 or 230) Contact : 93262152

Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaﬁng Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

Looking for 2 BHK ﬂat in Ruwi, Darsait or surrounding areas. Contact 96027403

A well equipped running dental clinic in Ruwi for sale. Contact 93769963

ACC. AVAILABLE

3 tents used for six months, PVC type, 850 GSM, water proof and ﬁre resistant (one tent size 11x30meter, two tents size 15x25 meters). For clariﬁcation call 99507508

Sharing accommodation available opposite Mars at Al Ghubra for Executive bachelor or small family sharing, kitchen. Contact 94474351 / 96237050

Villa in Al Khuwair and Seeb. Contact 95250300/ 99119699 / 92125648

Prime location in Shatti Qurum for sale. Ideal for restaurant / coffee shop / fast food. Contact: 97890657 / 96426312 Email: tess29.cayman29@gmail.com

Ghubra near Al Maha hotel & Indian school (2BHK with 5 split ac units). Contact 94652485/ 99273774 / 99202278

Industrial land for rent in Wadi Kabir 7000 Sq mtrs. Contact 99354340

Ground ﬂoor ﬂat in Mabela South with 2 big room & living room, 3 toilets, kitchen, small store & hall. Contact 93295953

40 FT Seaworthy used containers for sale located in Sur and Sohar in very good condition. # 99771466

1 Bedroom ﬂat in Azaiba. Contact 99385835/99428143 Flat for rent 1 & 2 bedroom available behind Zaker Mall Al Khuwair. Contact - 99530405

One shop OPP Oman house at Muttrah for sale R.O 600/- and monthly rent R.O 100/- (One hundred) Contact S.Q . Hussaini 97089387 / 97704905 Coffee shop for sale in North Al Ghubra. Contact 95256009

60,000 Sq Mtrs Agriculture Land in Misfah, can be changed to Industrial Land. OMR 27 Per Square Meter. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Restaurant for sale in Wadi Kabir. Contact : 99425461 2,560 sq mtrs industrial land Wadi Kabir Main Road, First line on way to Al Bustan hotel. Possible to make petrol station or hotel. OMR 990 Thousand Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

5 Flats of 1 bedroom for Sale in Bousher: OMR 35 Thousand each. Monthly income OMR 270 Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

For rent 3 industrial land. Contact 92702891/ 95490842 Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526

We have ﬂats for sale in south Al Mabella stage -8 along the highway. Contact 95121222

Spacious 2 BHK ﬂats in Ruwi MBD area only on 350/- OMR. Contact – 95122188 / 96441499

Shfandish & tables for sale. Contact 99368907

3 floor commercial building in Muttrah behind Police. Generating income of OMR 18 Thousand annually. Neat and well maintained. Built on 197 sq mtrs land. 2 tailor shops on ground floor and 6 flats. OMR 207 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Port cabin new & refurbished – porta cabin for sale & rent. Contact 96723468 / 97775501 / 97775502

Shopping center for sale at Bousher by good price 400 m2 with all equipment. Reason for selling part-time. Contact 92916490

558 Sq mtrs residential land in Barka (Al Jenainah) near Lulu and near to school. OMR 32 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

FOR SALE

Used Furniture of Ready made showroom for Sale.contact 24704370, 99798452 (Ashwin)

Well established coffee shop & BBQ with open parking along with 5 clearance located in Wadi Kabir. Contact 97161811 Residential land for sale 21000 sqm, best for housing complex at Al Harm – Barka, opp to Khimji logistic. Contact 99438397 For running beauty saloon for sale. Contact 97786792 / 96914627

2 residential Lands together, one 610 and the other 600 sq mtrs, in Al Haram on way to Barka. OMR 49 Thousand both. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 23,886 Sq Mtrs Agriculture land with water well in Al Salwa, Barka. OMR 260 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 Restaurant for sale well running with open area and good parking area. 3 new clearance also in Wadi Kabeer near Mars hyper market. Contact 99656863

WANTED Required used portacabin 12’ x 40’ without partition 2 Nos, used ablution unit 12 ‘x 30’ -1 no required at Misfah. Contact: 99340205

2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Contact 97000155 or 92688692

ACC. WANTED

Apartments for rent Ghubra : near Indian School Ghubra & Al Maha International Hotel (2BHK with 5 split A/C units).Contact 99273774 / 99202278 /94652485

Flat for rent, 2 BK near Kuwaiti Mosque, Wadi Kabir. Contact 97007934 / 92629232

Two bedroom Flat Available at Darsait/Near Muscat Municipality/ Call 99107588

Toyota Yaris model 2007 manual very good condition accident free full service history 210000 km. Contact: 94223132 expat leaving.

Room for rent in Wattaya for executive Bachelor. Contact 99036715

1& 2BHK for rent at Wadi Kabir, Hilal Al Sad and Al Khoud areas . Contact Office: 24834644 Mobile: 93994401/02/03

200 Sqr mtrs office space in CBD. Contact 99792181

Toyota Yaris 2007, fully automatic, expat lady driven. Contact 99045803

Coffee shop equipment and furniture for sale call 95207741 .

1,000 sq mtrs industrial land in Misfah Industrial area near to Khanco. OMR 1,500 Monthly. Electricity and boundary wall will be provided. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

Flat for rent 2 BK near Oman House Muttrah. Contact 97007934 / 92629232

Land Cruiser 2012. Contact 99336093

Pajero 2010, GCC, 230000 km white 6200/- R.O. Contact 92857111

Labour camp for Rent in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99797422

2 BHK in Muttrah, 2 bedrooms, 1 hall, 1 bathroom & 1 kitchen. Contact 99342790

Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285

Nissan Sunny 2007, 1.6, automatic, good condition km 1,48000. Contact 99781671

Furnished ﬂats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly. Contact 97819981 / 93593336

Room main road, Al Khuwair R.O 110/-. Contact 97799175

2 BHK with A.C, M.B.D, R.O 325/-. Contact: 92144045

FOR SALE

Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569

We have ﬂats for rent in South Al Mabella stage -8 along the highway. Contact 95121222

1BHK A.C Mumtaz. Contact 97799175

1 No. PLASTER MIXER PUMP (Make/Model: Putzmeister; DWϮϱͿ ŝŶ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶ available for sale on AS IS WHERE IS basis (at our Ghala Store). Genuine buyers Contact Evan G. Amanna, Mbl. 99334126; R&N KHIMJI LLC - Tel.24502111; Email: rnk@rkhimjigroup.com

For family room available near Al Khamis Shoes Hamriya. Contact 99793785 Furnished sharing room with sharing kitchen for Executive bachelor near Mars Hypermarket Ghubrah. Contact 98851806 Al Khuwair one villa room with toilet. Indians only. Contact 99382008 Furnished single/sharing room for Exe bachelor at Rex Road (Kannada, Telugu, Tamil). Contact 92873832 Executive bachelor room with attached toilet near Al Nahda Hospital, Hamriya. Contact 9647313 Single room for Executive bachelor near Al Falaj hotel. Contact 99643845 Room for rent Ex- bachelor / working lady in Ruwi. Contact : 99777496 Single furnished room in Ruwi. Contact: 24833609 room, with A/C kitchen available near ONTC Bus station (Ruwi). Contact 95569740 Sharing for non-cooking Executive bachelor in CBD area wi ﬁ free, advance deposit. Contact 95934642 Accommodation available for South Indian family, one bedroom with attached toilet, kitchen, hall in a villa, Al Ghubrah. Contact 99209160 Family room available for rent at Muttrah Souk. Contact 24712088 / 99022790

ACC. AVAILABLE Single room & AC attached bath at Mumtaz area. Contact 95212017 & 93103337 Sharing acc. Available in Muttrah behind Oman house. Contact 99354340 Sharing family accommodation in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99335057

LOST Saiful Islam has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AF 6214376. Finder please handover to ROP Mhmmed Hsakhawat has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AG 3077555. Finder please handover to ROP

CHANGE OF NAME We, Abdul Aleem Mohamed Zubair (name of father as per the passport, holder of Indian Passport No. Z2033619) and Shabana Mohamed Zubair (name of mother as per the passport, holder of Indian Passport No. F4483667) having the permanent address in 22/46 Jeswant Nager, Mugapair West, Chennai (complete postal address in India) and presently residing at the following address in P.B No 889, P.C. No 100, sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Master Osama Bukhari Mohamed Zubair (name as per present Passport), holder of Indian Passport No. J5943574 date of issue 28.02.2011 issued at Dubai. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Zain Bukhari Mohamed Zubair (new name) for all purposes. Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PO Box No 1727, Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

T H U R S D AY, M AY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job. Contact 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com

Finance / Accounts Manager 12 years experience at senior position in leading companies 9 years in Oman CPA – USA& modern accounting certiﬁcate from AUC. Contact 99139926

Indian Female 25 MBA looking for a suitable opening in Accounts, Admin/Hr. Contact 97013375

Part – time accountant qualiﬁed experience accountant available. Contact 96759385

Accounting professional having B.com, ILM with 11 years of Gulf experience includes Islamic Banking/ Trading etc looking for Chief/Senior Accountant . Contact:95312688

India Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to ﬁnalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placment. contact 93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com

Certiﬁed Public Accountant with 2 yrs experience in big 4 auditing ﬁrm as Senior IT Auditor on visit visa. Contact 92051688 Male 26, MBA in Accounts and Finance. 2 years Experience in Management, and Accounts Fields, and One year experience in Sales and Operation in Oman, looking for a suitable job. Contact 94374745

ACCOUNTANT Urgently required Tally ERP9 experienced Accountant. Send CV to ali@blueoceanmea.com Urgently required female Accountant, should have 3 -5 years experience. Send CV with passport size Photo and expected salary on cv.hrcharity@gmail.com Urgently required Accountant with valid Oman D/L. Send your CV to accounts@progroupoman.com

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

Cast Aluminium & Windows Company looking for the skilled and experienced personnel for the following categories: Sales Executive with D/L, professional Accountant, Aluminium fabricator, Cast Aluminium Site worker. Contact: 99654863 / 99197060 or Email your CV/Resume to tdnewgates@gmail.com

Salesman experienced 5 yrs in Oman, in the ﬁeld of industrial & oilﬁeld service, garage equipment tools & spares, safety wears & rescue equipments. Please forward your CV to almaadhi.trd@gmail.com

Required salesman, Tailor and Barber. Contact 96964767

ENGI./ELECT./TECH.. CATERING Wanted cook for Omani family at Muttrah. Contact 24712088 / 99022790 A fast food restaurant in Muscat required : 1) Cashier cum order taker with experience, speak ﬂuent in Arabic and English, 2) Social Media Services. Forward CV : oman.job2win@gmail.com

DRIVER Wanted tipper drivers for Road works. Contact 95565039 / 98878989

DOMESTIC HELPER Company GM requires a capable house keeper (preferably Philipina) to keep the house spotless and a gardener cum cleaner on full/ part time basis. Handsome salary & ﬂexible timings. Contact 98458542 Urgently Required Full time Housemaid for a respectable Omani Family. Contact: 99845838 / 99357273, Email: ijaz.beaver@gmail.com Wanted an Indian family in Al Ghubra requires a full time living housemaid. Contact 97084023

DRAFTSMAN Leading Construction company requires MEP Draftsman and Civil Draftsman with 5 to 7 years gulf experience with NOC available. Send your CV to recruitment1947@gmail.com

DESIGNER Required 3 D Designer for interior design with relevant experience, full time or part time.# 95766844

EDUCATION Assignments help? watsapp98347864 Wanted Graduate in Electronics / Mechatronics for teaching position for school students. Send CV to info@iiriss.com A school requires teachers for English, Science, Math, IT and Science Laboratory technician minimum requirements masters degree IELTS (band6). Contact send CV to: 96606121. Email: fred-cate2@yahoo.com Physics, Chemistry Edexcel ‘A’ level board teacher urgently required to teach a student of 12th standard. Teacher’s experience preferred. Contact: 99349076.

MEDICAL Immediate placement ( with or without MOH) A. Pharmacist 3 nos B. Asst.pharmacist - 2 nos Contact Tel.99338219 , 93240949

MANAGER Urgently required experienced LED TV Technician. Send CV to ali@blueoceanmea.com Urgently required Maintenance Supervisor (Civil) with valid Oman D/L. Send your CV to cv.hrcharity@gmail.com Required Graduate Electrical Engineer experience in HT & LT works. Contact 99760596, Email : info@npgoman.com Quantity Surveyor 1 No Civil Engineer – 1No. with seven years minimum Gulf construction experience. Email: omaniantrad@gmail.com

MEDICAL Medical CARE Centre, Al Seeb, requires Gynecologist, General Practitioners and Medical Lab Technicians. Mail CVsarita_h23@yahoo.com or call 97884856 Wanted a Staff Nurse to work in a private clinic in IBRI preference will be given to candidates who have cleared their prometric exam. Contact: 99502851 Position for a full time home Health Nurse seeking for a dedicated and reliable Staff Nurse or Assistant Nurse to provide total care for an elderly sick patient for immediate interview. Contact : 99331369 We are looking for a Staff Nurse, who is having 60% or above in prometric exam. Contact : 99235643 /99463609 Email: abuahamedclinic@gmail.com Urgently required female Nurse of India or Philippines origin to work at residence from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm from Saturday to Thursday for a period of two to four weeks. Remuneration for this service is negotiable with individual experience. Candidate meeting the above requirements call at 99880712 or 99440935 Clinical Dietician for Weight Management Center, utilizing the “Eurodiet” method. Experienced in individual counseling along with excellent communication skills. Arabic speaking would be an advantage. Tel. 9749 7777, thanae@eurodiet.com Urgently required (All female only) Radiographer, Physiotherapist, Echo Technician, EEG technician & Nurses. Contact: 99374223, 22081700 email: hr@gshoman.com Urgently required Staff Nurse, Pharmacist and endodontist Female Staff nurse, Pharmacist and endodntist with MOH License/ Prometric exam passed with 60% and above. Contact 24780088, 97374459 Email : karamadental@gmail.com

One of the leading business groups in Oman is looking for a Manager for their transport division. Candidates with 7-10 years experience in transport industry may forward their CV to kumar@muscatsteel.com Multinational Consultant Hiring, Senior: Architect/ Design Manager/ Project manager above 10 Years’ Experience, Senior: MEP & Site Engineers Above 5 years’ experience. Send CV: lvjob2015@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Situations vacant at a reputed company in Oman for their TLB(Tires, Lubes & Battery) division. 1. Sales Executives. 2. Showroom Executives. 3. Sales Co-ordinators. 4. Store Keepers. Minimum 3-5 yrs experience in the same ﬁeld or from the Automotive industry with market exposure, holding valid Omani driving license or GCC. Rush your CV’s to careers@diamondwealth.org Wanted Salesman with Oman driving license for Advertising Company. Contact 96440587 Sales Executives for Media Enterprise. Oman D/L. Contact: essential. jobs@interacoman.com

Required Sales man - 1 Person Qualiﬁcation. Gulf Experienced - Minimum 5 Years with Oman Driving Licence Language - English Education:- Any Degree Further Contact :Mr. Abdul Hameed Nashabat - Mobile No: 97414307 and -92807399 amn@yaqeeneng.com Urgently required Sales Executive for leading building material company holding license. Contact 98650936 / 95928480 A Leading FMCG Company require Sales Executives (Graduates) & Merchandisers, with Omani D/L. Candidates with local release only apply. Send CV to FAX: 24501542 or e-mail: fmcgsaleshr@gmail.com Reputed building materials company looking for Outdoor Sales Executive having valid Omani driving license with more than 2 years local sales experience tiles / sanitary ware. Fax your CV to 24798709 Email: united@omantel.net.om Looking for Electrical Salesman with diploma certiﬁcate. Contact 97616265 email: brightsilverllc@gmail.com,

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

TOURS & TRAVELS Counter staff male/female experience 2 years of travel agency experience. Interested candidate shall send his / her CV to officer1_ajyad@yahoo.com

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ADMIN/HR Indian female, 28 yrs experience in Admin / sales coordination /accountant and secretarial. Knowledge in accountant software, with Oman D/L, looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96751993 Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available. Contact :93671437 Young Indian male with masters in business admin from UK & 4+ years Oman experience in purchase & admin (current working as assistant purchase manager) seeks placement. Posses valid Driving License. Ph:94400671 Indian female, 29 yrs, MBA (HR) 4 yrs exp. India & Oman in HR & Admin, seeks suitable placement. Contact 96759820 Omani national ﬂuent in English looking for suitable placement. Contact 91908052 Indian female Post Graduate with 5 years experience in HR & Admin looking for good opportunity. Contact 94692244 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement. Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com

Omani experience in the legal, administrative, public relations, education. Contact 97243393 Email: mwm3003@gmail.com Over 15 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, ﬂuent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position. Contact 95824598 B.A graduate with 8 years experience (2 years in Oman) in admin / business development and sustainably (green buildings) on visit visa. Contact 91626216 Female 26, 3 yrs exp in HR & Admin, with Oman D/L, looking for a suitable opening. Contact 98236033

AUTO CAD

AUTOCAD D MAN, Gulf Exp In Major Projects, knows ARCH, Structural, MEP, Noc available PH: 98225740 Draughtsman-Civil: Diploma in Architecture with 3 years experience. Proﬁcient in AutoCAD, Google Sketchup, Photoshop and MS Office. Email: dilshadmayas@gmail.com Mob: +91 9645124241, 93004426

Indian male, B.Com experience in Accounts, looking for Accountant job or in Sales on visit visa. Contact- 98295101 Indian male 25 yrs B.Com PGDBM currently on visit visa, looking for suitable opening in accounts, store and Admin. Contact: 96986349 Email: gafoordawre@gmail.com 7 years experience (2 yrs in Oman) MBA (Fin), B.Com, C.A (Found.) currently looking for suitable placement. Contact +968 - 97736404 Email: adnantahir1990@gmail.com Finance Manager (M.Com. MBA) with start-up skill & group consolidation, Baking,corporate funding, restructuring of ﬁnance and accounts with new system and procedure.amritaa.m2002@gmail.com 3 yrs experience, Indian female, 26 years, Masters in Financial Management, B.com, Seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99345132 Email: Sandhya1735@gmail.com Egyptian Accountant using ERP system on visit visa 1year experience. Contact: 96019233 MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in banking operational, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075

Indian male, 32 years, M. Com. 7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com MBA Graduate with 6 yrs exp in finance/accounts/ auditing. Specialized in accounts payable dept, Oracle app user, proficient in Sap (fico) end user & tally 9.0. lean &six sigma certified trainer on visit visa. Contact – 91967213 / 99064780 Part time Accountant with 15 years experience in accounts, finance tax, audit management. Contact 95857199

DRIVER Indian male looking for job as driver. Have 08 years experience in Oman. Contact 95256489 Pakistani male having Oman driving license looking for driving jobs, having 2 years experience in vehicle driving presently staying in Oman. Contact 96549406 Heavy Duty Driver looking job & visa. 3 years experience. Release Available. 96238930/92744341 Light duty driver with car looking for job. Contact: 99365092 Malayalee driver, 8 yrs exp. in Oman seeking job. Contact 93526254 / 94615610 Looking for job, driving 8 yrs experience languages Hindi, Arabic & English & civil construction foreman. Contact 96288587 Driver need job. Contact 98056148

Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant 3 month successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact : 96710154 Sri Lankan male qualified CIMA (UK) Accountant & bachelor degree in accountancy with over 10 years experience in various industries looking for job position as Senior Accountant / Finance Manager currently in Muscat available on visit visa. Contact 97299017 Email: mnm_ruzan79@yahoo.com Indian Male, 25, CA, CMA, ACMA, looking for a challenging assignment in finance or Investment Banking field. Contact +917567122122 or umang@snthakar.com Indian male, B.Com Graduate having 10 years exp 6 years in Oman looking for an Accountant job. Contact : 93830171 Email: nidbivtl@yahoo.com Indian male M.Com, 5 years experience in finance /HR and Purchase department in Oman companies having valid D/L available to join immediately with NOC. Contact 98363897 Email: prince9496@hotmail.com Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting . NOC available. Contact 96209331 Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 Finance Manager, 16 + years Gulf exp. in accounts , MIS, budgets, strategic planning, cost control, working capital management, seeks job pls call 95379211 e mail :- vijay.564@hotmail.com Indian male 27 M.Com, MBA, 4.5 years experience in finance & accounts, Tally & SAP currently on visit visa. Contact: 93484048 Indian female 32 yrs MCA having, 3 years experience in Muscat and having driving license seeks suitable placement. Contact: 96124929

Driver with car looking for part & full time job. Contact 96692774 Bangladeshi male looking for driving job, knows speaking English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact 93098895 Light duty driver seek job. Contact 95546316 Heavy driver valid license Omani need job & visa. Contact 91139936 Light Vehicle Driver requires job in any transportation / private co. Contact 96015617 Driver looking for job. Contact 94195818 Need job LTV exp driver Pakistani. Contact 94436276 Driver looking for job. Contact 92137431 Light duty driver looking job experience 4years Oman. Contact 96088707

DESIGNER Interior Designer Syrian Nationality one year experience in design. Contact 95246737 Email: yassalnajjar@gmail.com

EDUCATION Indian female MSc, MPHIL Chemistry currently on visit visa, 3 years teaching experience seeks immediate placement. Contact 96916534 Sudanese male BSC electronic Engineer 2 years experience in GSM, 10 years experience in oil industry (Drilling & Measurements). Contact 91198104 Email: husseintalat@hotmail.com Sudanese BSC industrial Engineer experience 4 yrs in QA /QC and 8 yrs in production. Contact 94041960 Email: mekkimedani@hotmail.com / mekkimedani78@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp. Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com

T H U R S DAY, M AY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male, B.E ( computer science engineer), MBA (finance), OCA certified, having 5 years of experience in oracle Dba/ oracle apps Dba, seeks a suitable position in the field of IT. Contact: 96212062 email: zubairkhan11@gmail.com Omani Mechanical Engineer, has 3 years experience ,has HSE, H2S, Riggers/Banks men Permit, Drawing / cad, SCBA, Safety Leadership and Initial Fire Response Courses. good with computer and English language looking for suitable job. Contact 99224319-98454500

Indian Male ,4 year experience as Safety Officer with NEBOSH currently on visit visa. Contact 9565910,email: yadavchandan287@gmail.com

Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certiﬁed, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952

Indian male 24 years, Mechanical Engineer,pdms.1 yr experience in pipeline,16years in oman seeking immediate placement Contact 95775742

Indian male, Mechanical Engineer, 2 years experience in fabrication & erection of heavy structures as Project Engineer in India, now on visiting visa seek suitable placement. Contact: 91251818 Email: krishnakumarkk9@gmail.com

B.E (Mechanical), Indian male 8 years experience (HVAC – 4 years, operation / production / maintenance, 4 years) looking suitable position. Contact 96696190 Email: faisalmnz@gmail.com

Electrical Engineer, 5 years experience in E& I commissioning, construction and maintenance wastewater with Oman D/L. Contact : 97753382 Indian male Civil Engineer B.E Civil Engineer, 2 years experience in India seeking for suitable position in building construction field. Contact India 0091-9659340446 Email: senthilmmx@gamail.com Indian male, 27 yrs B. Tech (Aeronautics) with MBA in airport management /international management, having 2yrs of experience in aerospace field, looking for suitable job, currently on visit visa valid up to 25 June 2015. Contact - 98107797 email - njnikhiljoy@gmail.com Iraqi Civil Engineer with more than 25 years experience in (Iraq ,U.A.E. and Oman) looking for a job, (N.O.C.) is available. Contact No. 94043735, amin.sarim007@gmail.com Indian male 26, B. Tech Electronics Engineer having 4 years experience (2 year in Oman) seeking suitable position. Contact 93171420 Email: manujk2015@gmail.com BE. Mechanical Engg in search of job primavera P6 and AutoCAD 2 year’s experience. Contact 99288785. Email: gvnvictor@gmail.com Chemical Engineer, 5 years Industrial experience looking for job. Contact: 91380787 Indian male 27 yrs, Instrumentation / Automation Engineer having 5 years exp in Oil & Gas and wastewater with valid Omani D/L, looking for a suitable job NOC available. Contact : 96082604 Civil Engineer Female, 3 yrs experience in structural design, on visit visa seeking suitable placement. Contact: 99195433 Electrical Engineer : Indian male 29 years , having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India (MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement. Contact 92789995, Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Sr. Instrumentation Engineer: 8+ years Exp. (Oman 6+ Yrs) OIL & GAS, Sales & Marketing in Automation, Instrumentation, Calibration, BMS & FOC - Project Planning, Erection, Commissioning, O & M. NOC Available Oman D/L G: +968 97296534 M: jaganmohan_ks@yahoo.com Indian male with ITI certification in Mechanical Drafting with good Experience Looking for good opportunity contact 9194 9181 BE Mechanical Engineer -NDT level 2, Quality Control (Oil & Gas) . 1 year exp ph: 95908293 Electrical Engineer B.Tech with 4 yrs exp. looking for suitable vacancies. Contact – 96752080 Diploma in Civil Engineer having 9 yrs experience, 7 yrs in Oman, 2 yrs in home country, searching for suitable placement, valid Oman D/L. NOC available. Contact 97430353 Indian, B.Tech Electronics & Instrumentation Engineer, more than 4 yrs experience in Honeywell, Yokogava Project, good exposure in DCS, PLC, SCADA & ESD & field Instruments of refinery, fertilizer, steel plant, chemical factory in India & Middle East looking for good openings. Contact 93670890 / 24702588, Email : mojin.a.kabeer@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Electronics Engineer with 4 years experience in embedded product development seeking for suitable job in Oman now in visit visa. Contact: 95218030 Sudanese Civil Engineer, 2 yrs experience. Contact 96077482, Email : ebraheemann@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.E) having 5 yrs experience in building construction looking for a suitable placement. D/L available. Contact 91253392 Electronics & Communication Engg. (37) 14+ yrs (10 yrs Oman) experience in sales/marketing product development, project execution within information & communication technology industry. Contact 99771815 Sudanese Petroleum Engineer, 4 yrs experience looking for job, MC office, C, Exlips. Contact 96039290 Network / system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job, currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact : 92589502 / 96216397, Email : jeganscareer@gmail.com Indian M, 25yrs, B.E Mechanical 3 yr exp in Oil & Gas now on visit visa seeking jobs in project, sales and marketing. Contact: 96487013 Email: riarun.007@gmail.com Indian male 29 yrs, on visit visa, Diploma Mechanical Engineering and 1 ADC Rig Pass looking for a job in oil field drilling department experience, 4 years in India. Contact: 91926005 Email: ossubeesh83@gmail.com Indian male 29 years Diploma in Petrochemical 06 yrs, experience in EPS company and piping of oil & gas and maintenance valid D/L also available. Contact 93330817 Email: shahidk8448@yahoo.com Indian male B.Tech Mechanical three years varietal experience in piping Engineering & management of retail mobile phone shops seeking sales engineering job with Oman D/L. Contact 94401234 Young Energetic Indian male, 7 years Oman experience in retail wholesale, sales including electronics, building materials with Oman D/L. Contact: 98465550 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer on visit visa looking for job, two years experience as QC Engineer, NDT level-2 certified. Contact: 98386074 Email: jayeshthilakan@gmail.com Graduate Civil Engineer, Indian, Total 16+ Yrs exp., 7+ GCC seeking suitable Senior/Mid level Job in PMC/Contracting, NOC Available & Valid GCC Driving License. Contact : GSM: 94363574; E-mail : Crashu_78@yahoo.com Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 97311847 Male 26, B.Tech in Electronics & Communication Engineering having 4.8 years experience (including experience in Japan) seeks suitable placement & can join immediately. Contact: 91902646 Email: ajumalmajeed@gmail.com Procurement Officer 7 years experience in Oman construction civil & structural steel NOC, ITI & driving license in Oman. Contact: 92023761 QA/QC inspector 5 yrs exp in O&G Industry with diploma mechanical & NDT level 2 on visit. Contact : 91231007 sf.aseem@gmail.com

Mechanical Design Engineer, 7 years of experience in Piping Design & Development, with good sound knowledge of AutoCAD, AUTOPLANT 3D,CATIA/ V5,SOLIDWORKS,etc Looking for a suitable position. NOC available. Contact :+968-94549776, ashrafvpt@yahoo.co.in Indian male B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC & CWSIP looking for suitable position. Contact 99447106 / 24483297 Indian male 29, Mechanical Engineer CSWIP3.1 certified having 5.5 years experience in steel structural construction projects seeking suitable position. Contact: 91078780 Email: nikhilhai@gmail.com Electrical Engineer (B.E) : 5 years of experience (4 years in Oman) with valid Omani D/L. NOC available. GSM: 92260391 Mechanical Engineer (B.E) : Four years of experience (3 years in Oman). NOC available. Contact :92530471 B.Tech biomedical Engineering having Omani driving license. Contact 91352248 Indian male, 24 yrs B.Tech (MECH) on visit 1 year experience as PPC Engineer looking for suitable placement. Has, HVAC, AutoCAD and CATIA designing skills. Contact 98925685 Indian male Instrumentation Engineer having 2 years experience in process instruments, seeks suitable placement. Contact 95954385 Indian male Senior Site Engineer (Diploma) having total 11 years experience in GCC, 7 years in Dubai and 4 years Oman. With valid Omani driving license, seeking for suitable position in building construction field, NOC available. Contact 97943703 / 93458841 Email: georgesaji77@gmail.com Civil Engineer (DCE) Indian male with 20 years experience, 10 years in Oman worked with reputed consultancy and contracting companies as RE, PE, PM and did projects for MOD and PDO with D/L Seeks suitable position. Contact 93251720 Indian male I.T.I diesel mechanic experience 4 yrs Qatar (11 yrs in India) seeking for suitable placement carpentry on visiting visa. Contact 91969224 Email: anilk6102@gmail.com Bachelor degree B.SC (Honours) Telecommunication Engineering CCNA , CISCO, Certified network associate experience installation operation maintenance, ATMS & Electronics, Surveillance Security systems Nationality Sudanese age 25. Contact: 92617282 B.Tech, instrumentation Engineer, Indian male with 4 yr experience in EPC and Sales / 2 yr Oman experience having valid Oman driving license. Contact 94145460 Email: jgeevarughese@gmail.com Indian female, B.Tech biotechnology with strong computer skills and 2 years experience as associate research analyst (Media Monitoring) in Nasdaq Oman seeking growth oriented jobs. Contact 92044603 /918056169148 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com. Electrical and Electronics Engineer (BE) 1+ year of experience now on visit visa seeking suitable opportunities Email: djnitheesh@gmail.com Contact 99254469 Diploma in electronics & Telecom, Engineering with 5 years experience in Engineering & sales, marketing. Contact 95932219

IT Indian male fresher BCA young and energetic, seeking good opportunites.email: jlaxmimenon@gmail. com, Contact 00919567722270 IT Support Engineer Indian male with 6 years experience in system Admin IT support seeks suitable opportunities. Contact: 94549589 / 99817516. Email: dhaneeh87@gmail.com Indian male, 25 yrs, M.Tech (Computer Science) 3 yrs exp. in networking (MCSE-CCNA) certified currently on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 91006851 Indian 25 yrs male diploma Computer Engineer 5yrs experience in hardware and networking, looking for another jobs in oman. Contact: 91082046, renston34@gmail.com Indian male B.Sc, IT Graduate, MCSE, CCNA, RHCE, Certified seeking job at good company. Contact 96974352 Email: niyas.mohammed1@gmail.com Network system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job. Currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 92589502 Email: careersjegan@gmail.com IT Network and Security Engineer with a master degree, CISCO and Linux red hat certified seeking a suitable job in a good company. Contact 99818601 Indian female MCA seeks suitable position as IT Administrator. Contact: 94133849 / 95215272

MEDICAL Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378 Indian, BINU. M Scaria medical lab technician, 15 years experience prometric passed BSc, MLT+ pursuing Msc MLT. Contact 97850841 / 97864635/ 919447935234

MISCELLANEOUS Graduate 1 yr experience in India, Clerk now in Oman on visit visa. Contact 92933431, princemathew2813@gmail.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Indian male, Graduate, with 12yrs solid exp in construction & building materials purchase / logistics/ warehouse seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 94657319 Warehouse In charge or store keeper 26 yrs. Gulf exp 4 yrs in Oman. NOC available. Contact 97657823 / Email:rusaikmzm_2009@yahoo.com Hotel ﬁeld diploma in Computer B.Com, Indian, Diploma in Hotel Management MBA in hospital management at pursuant operation manager in a resort India. Contact 97864635 / 91815776074 Projects/ contracts Manager 31 yrs (26 yrs Oman) experience in management & coordination of multi-million R.O projects of government & private sector, Post Graduate Structural Engineer with structural & QS Background looking for senior position. Contact +00968-91400599 Experience Restaurant Manager with valid driving license and NOC for immediate placement. Contact: 92953199

Indian male 10 years experience in Welding Supervisor NDT Technician, MIG Welding specialist seeking suitable job. Contact 96771841 Egyptian male 11 years in ﬁve stars international hotels management sales marketing D/L available residency visa. Contact 93577497 Email: elkomy82@hotmail.com B.Com Graduate having 10 years experience of sales and marketing in bank specialist in car ﬁnancing looking for a job also having experience to run the team and manage the accounts. Contact: 93131681

SKILLED LABOUR Indian male & female (couple) looking for job in hospital / caretaker. Contact 91299288

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing. Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job. # 96990368. Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Male MBA (General) from Cardiff Metropolitan University London) looking for a suitable placement. Contact 92819301 Email: adicbhat@outlook.com

Male, 19 years of experience in Finance and Administration currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99720132/ abidraﬁ33@hotmail.com

MBA Marketing professional with 05 years experience in sales and distribution looking for job in Oman currently on visit visa. Contact: 97006353 Email: ashhadhm@hotmail.com

Sudanese male BSC Telecommunications Engineer, 4 years experience in telecom ﬁeld.# 97783092, Email: alrsheed88@hotmail.com

Indian male Sales Manager looking for suitable position, 9 years experience in Oman. Contact: 97986445

Civil autocad draughtsman part time work for job mob :96023726

BUSINESS

MBA supply chain professional with 03 years experience in freight forwarding and distribution looking for job in Oman currently on visit visa. Contact: 97089944 Email: ali_shayan340@hotmail.com Indian male 3 years experience Media Hospitality Sales Marketing looking for suitable job valid driving license car, NOC available. Contact 96054202 Indian male 31 years, MBA, 7yrs experience in sales & marketing with valid driving license seeking suitable placement. Contact 98719219. EMAIL: recruitme1984@gmail.com Stores In Charge / Purchase coordinator with 6 years oman experience seeking placement. Contact 95439645 or storeoman@gmail. com Release / NOC available. Indian male 24 years, MBA in Marketing looking for suitable placement currently in Muscat on visit visa. Contact: 93507063 Email: zamer_124@yahoo.com Indian 23 years B.Com Graduate, 2 years experience in sales knowledge of tally E.R.P & MS Office. Contact 93134643 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job. Contact - 92146864 Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com Indian male looking job in sales or marketing having 2 years experience. Contact 96660936

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE

37 years male 15 years experience in facility superior & specialized in ﬁtness equipment maintenance, excellent skill in English on visit visa. Contact: 94514883 / 99679306 Email: jobin163@gmail.com

Indian male more than 10 years Gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase coordination with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact 99709336

Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa. Contact 93086105/33016546

HOSPITALITY Indian male/30years with hotel management degree, 02 years experience in F&B service at 5 star hotel in Dubai and 05 years in American 6 star cruseliner as butler. Contact No 911 35371.

SALES / MARKETING

Software development based on requirements such as: Web development & cloud computing, SAP implementation & services. Android App development networking. Contact 97423932 We have some companies for rent with the following activities: press publishing & advertising, information consultancy, organizing event management & conference, real estate, landscaping, maintenance etc. Contact 93946622 / 91408005 Required business Researcher. contact 99229700 Email: kjaaraimi@hotmail.com Business Consultant, feasibility study. Contact 99229700

T H U R S D AY, M AY 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WEBSITE

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price. Contact: http//webviewoman

CLASSES

MATRIMONIAL

NRI

Alliance invited for a Nair girl 24 yrs, 5ft, 1”, fair, slim, B.Tech graduate reputed family of Ernakulam dist. (Star Thiruvonam Sudhajathakam) ﬁnancially sound, from parents of B.Tech nair boys from Trissur, Palakkad and Eranakulam dist. . Contact :00919495924302 email: raveendrandr@yahoo.com Kerala nair boy working with reputed company in Muscat, Star Revathy (Sudhajathakam), age 28, 163 cm. seeking suitable alliance from nair girls. Contact no 92760901 Indian Muslim brother Muscat alliance for sister 20 yrs BSC, very fair, good looking ,boys respected families from hyderabad & A.P send biodata & pic, mdfazal.ksa@gmail.com, 91258586. Kerala Exhava girl (presently in Oman) 25 yrs, 167 cm, B.Tech, Star Pururutathi, (Sudhajathakam) upper middle class, seeking suitable alliance from professionals. Contact 93881787 Hindu Ezhava family, settled in Muscat looking for suitable groom working within Oman for their daughter 25 yrs (MBA) working with a reputed company in Muscat. Contact : 98689663 We are Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009

TRANSPORTATION House shifting & transporting. Contact 92490422

COMPUTER

13 Cent prime plot at Cochin at Ravipuram, Shipyard very near M.G. Road . Contact 00968 - 92726558 Email: kochiplot4sale@gmail.com 42 cents land at walkable distance from Kovalm Jn.,Trivandrum for sale in whole or plots. Res./ Comm. Plot on main road side(Bus route),suitable for villas,resorts etc. Call 00968-95036240, 0091-9961034763 or email- cfhd1@ yahoo.com

WINDOW & SPLIT unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080 SPLIT & WINDOW A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 96236476

One B/R- Best Western Qupem Goa. Contact – 97094797

SPLIT & WINDOW A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517

Chalo ab Laot Chalein Har koi ka yahi sapna Lucknow main ho ghar apna. Plots, ﬂats, villas, duplex farm houses any where in Lucknow, Varanasi, Allahabad, Nainital, Aligarh. Contact Qamruddin : 91273414

A/C maintenance & servicing. Fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing. Painting & cleaning services & electrical & plumbing. Contact 99447257/97014234/ 24504281

Residential land for sale in Chennai Kundrathur and Poonamaalee, we construct house in your budget. Contact 98753366

We do building maintenance all kind of works. Contact 99247663

TRANSPORTATION DRIVING Transportation. Contact 99542393

Electric, Plumbing, painting & all kinds of building maintenance. Contact 93896787 / 97924862

Pick & drop anytime. Contact 96692774 Transportation Contact 99159277

Pick & Drop any time. Contact 97014786 *Classiﬁed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

P.R.O services. Contact 99368907

Sewage remove tanker sewage tank cleaning & block remove all maintenance sewage tanks. Contact 97412505 / 98852238

Transportation. Contact: 98505294 Transportation. Contact 99508282 Transport to ISWK. Contact 93172589

Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.#ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

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Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624